Say You'll Remember Me
by QuinnOfConeyIsland
Summary: It's been five months since the King of Gotham was reunited with his Queen and things have gone back to normal. At least as normal as things can be with the Joker and Harley Quinn. But their world is suddenly turned upside down when Harley is yet again seperated from her man, only to return with no memories of him. How far is the Joker willing to go this time to get her back?
1. The Message

_Just want it like before_

 _We were dancing all night_

 _Then they took you away_

 _Stole you out of my life_

 _You just need to remember_

\- _Blue Jeans_ by Lana Del Rey

* * *

Joker anxiously paced the living room floor back and forth. Jonny was watching him from one of the expensive, brown leather armchairs. He wanted to tell his boss to just sit down and relax, maybe even have a drink or two. But he knew it would be no use. The Joker did as he pleased and no one could ever make him change his mind. Well, maybe Harley, Jonny thought. But that was just the thing – Harley wasn't here. Hence, the Joker's endless pacing.

He was waiting for a message – a message from the people who took Harley. Eight days ago, Joker had gotten into a quarrel with her. It happened every now and then. Most of the time, if the quarrel was bad, she would go home to her gal pal Ivy and stay there for a couple of days. When she got back, the quarrel had either been forgotten or they would forgive each other. Joker never actually _said_ he was sorry, but Harley could always tell when he was. She understood him better than anyone else. Jonny thought they resembled a married couple much more than any of them would let on.

This time, the quarrel _had_ been bad, but certainly not so bad that she wouldn't return home safely within the next couple of days, right? Joker had expected her to stand in the doorway with a big grin on her face, arms open wide, saying: "I'm back, Puddin'!" He waited one day. Then two days. Three. Four. On the fifth day, he even decided to camp inside by the front door and wait for her to come home. He didn't move from his spot all day. When it was well after midnight and she still hadn't come back, he decided that he had waited long enough. _Time to pay that weed a visit._

Ivy woke in the middle of the night to the sound of loud, continuous banging on her front door and it didn't stop until she came to open up. She was not surprised to see who her nightly visitor was. "Where is she?" Joker asked. He did not look to be in a gaming mood. Too bad for him, because Ivy _definitely_ was. She decided to play dumb.

"Who?" Joker bared his teeth and suppressed a growl. Trying to keep your calm when you had been awake for almost twenty four hours was no easy task. He pushed through, letting himself inside her apartment and searched every room for Harley. Ivy crossed her arms and leaned her back against the wall. She was rather amused by the whole thing, to be honest. "She's not here, you know." He stopped dead in his tracks and slowly turned his face in her direction, as if daring her to repeat that. "She never was." Ivy was telling the truth. She hadn't seen Harley in weeks, actually. Joker clenched his jaw and made his way over to her.

"Don't. Lie. To me."

"I'm not," she said, looking straight into his face. She was not afraid. "I'm guessing if you're looking for her, that means it's _your_ fault that she's gone. Now get out of my flat!" With a grunt, the Joker turned away and left, but not without grabbing one of the many flower pots on display and smashing it to the floor.

Jonny hoped that this wasn't going to be yet another rescue mission. One was enough. When the Joker had found out that someone had implanted a bomb in his girlfriend's neck, all hell broke loose. Jonny _thought_ that he had seen the Joker angry before, but nothing compared to _that_. If he could have it _his_ way, he'd rather not experience it ever again.

Suddenly, the Joker's phone buzzed to life, catching both men's attention. It rested on the coffee table in front of Jonny. Joker stopped pacing and picked the phone up. He had finally received the well anticipated message:

 _You want her?_

 _Come and get her._


	2. I Don't Know You

_You want her?_

 _Come and get her._

A second text message had told the Joker exactly when and where to find Harley, but whoever was holding her would not give her back for free. They wanted ten million dollars in cash. _Lazy pricks, why don't they just go rob a bank?_ Now he would have to do all the work _for_ them. The Joker was a wealthy man, but twenty million _in_ _cash_ was something he did not possess.

The money was easily acquired. Robbing a bank was child's play. It was done under three hours. By then, it was 9:30 PM – half an hour before the scheduled time for the meeting. Joker dressed himself up in his purple skin coat over his bare chest, added a couple of gold chains around his neck and he was ready to go. He got into the backseat of their black SUV and Jonny started the engine. They were followed by a van that contained the cash, as well as four of the Joker's men, all dressed in their freaky costumes and carrying loaded guns, just in case things got ugly.

They arrived at their destination, Gotham Harbor, about ten minutes ahead of time. The harbor, also known as Miller Harbor, was a creepy place at night. Perfect for anyone who wanted to make an illegal trade. Of course, that had become much harder ever since the Bat came into town, but the Joker did not worry about him right now.

They were alone at the harbor. Joker waited inside the car until the kidnappers decided to show up. Just on time, a white, smaller van pulled up and came to a stop. The driver and his pal in the front seat got out. Joker did the same and Jonny and the rest of his gang followed suit. The driver of the van greeted the Joker with a nod. "Glad you could make it." He wore a black leather jacket over a grey t-shirt and dark jeans. His buddy was dressed in a brown trench coat and a pair of shades, despite it being dark. Joker did not return the welcoming gesture.

"Well…" he said, still waiting for them to actually give him what he came for. "Where is she?" he asked with raised, non-existent eyebrows and looked back and forth between the two.

"Show us the money first." Joker's men raised their guns, aiming them at the two strangers. Joker put on an amused grin and cackled. He exchanged a glance with Jonny. _Can you believe this guy?_

"As I assume you've never played with us before," Joker said, "I'm going to give you one more chance. Bring. Her. _Out_." The man in the leather jacket licked his lips and just stared at the Joker. He stared back. Not once did he blink. Eventually, his opponent gave in and stepped up to the white van, banging on the side. The back doors opened and two other guys jumped out with Harley in between them.

Joker drew in a breath when he saw her. She looked a mess. Her hair was all greasy and tangled, hanging down in front of her face. Her makeup was smeared and she still wore the same clothes she had eight days ago; a crimson top and a black, short skirt. Her heels however, had been removed, leaving her barefoot. Her feet were dirty and quite frankly, so was the rest of her body. The driver grabbed her by the hair and forced her head back, her back pressed against his chest. He put up a gun to her head and in the same moment she started crying. Now that wasn't like her at all. Usually, she'd just laugh and spit the creep in the face. Whatever they had done to her, it was bad. Joker gritted his teeth. "Give her to me. _Now._ "

"Money first." Joker looked back to Panda Man and nodded for him to bring out the bags of cash. He did as told and shoved the money over to the driver's feet. He looked down at it, but instead of letting Harley go and have a look himself, he had his friend in shades inspect the bags.

"Everything seems to be in order," he said as he flipped through the bundles of green. The driver smirked and pushed Harley away from him.

"Pleasure doing business with you, Joker." They tossed the bags into the back of their van and drove away.

Harley was still sobbing a little, but not as much as before. She looked so small. _Weak._ She shuddered and refused to look up from the ground. Why wouldn't she look at him? Why wasn't she throwing herself into his arms? Joker wasn't sure what to do. "I thought I wouldn't have to go on any more rescue missions," he said. After all, she was fully capable of taking care of herself. Anyone who had faced her knew that. "Come on, get in the car and let's go home." He opened the back door and waited for her to get in. She didn't move. Or, no wait… she _did._ But not toward him. She _backed away_. Slowly, a tiny step at a time. Her legs were trembling. "Harley, get in the car," he said, but not in a menacing way. He actually sounded unsure. Jonny was confused as well. _Everyone_ was confused.

"No," Harley whispered and shook her head. "I-I don't know you." _Don't know me?_ He chuckled.

"Yeah, that's real funny, Harl, come on now. Get in." She continued shaking her head. Actually, her whole body started shaking more and more by the second.

"I-I… I don't feel so well." Her eyes rolled into the back of her head and the Joker was there to catch her before she fell to the ground. She was limp in his arms. What the hell was going on? He picked her up and told Jonny to start the car. He carefully laid her down in the backseat and sat down with her, placing her head in his lap. Even though she was unconscious, she was still shaking. He soon found out why. Her whole body was ice cold. Removing his coat, he wrapped it around her, hoping it would help at least a little bit.

* * *

When they got back to their hideout, Joker told Jonny to go ahead and prepare a warm bath for Harley and he carried her all the way up the stairs to their bedroom on the second floor. He could hear the water pouring into the tub in the bathroom. Jonny stepped out to meet them. "It's all prepared, boss."

"Good. Now get out," the Joker snapped and Jonny left, closing the door after him.

Joker let his coat slide off of her body and then carried her into the bathroom. He sat her down with her back resting against the tub. She was still out cold. He removed her top and skirt, but left her underwear on. Lifting her up into his arms again, he helped her into the steaming water and some of it splashed over the rim and onto his pants. He didn't mind. What mattered now was getting Harley back. He kneeled beside the tub and held her head above the surface with his hand behind her neck. He brought the other hand up to cup her cheek and try to wake her up. He softly rubbed his thumb against her skin and after a couple of minutes, she started stirring back to life. Her eyes cracked open and Joker held his breath, waiting for her reaction. To his disappointment, as soon as she saw who it was, she recoiled from his touch. He could tell that she was scared. "You again? Who are you? Where am I?" She looked around the room, not recognizing it. Joker got to his feet, looking down at her. Then she realized that she was half naked and tried to cover herself by putting her arms around her and pulling up her knees.

"You're home," he said calmly. She looked up at him with an incredulous look on her face. He was a strange man. Pale, with green hair and red lips. Not to mention all the tattoos. Especially the one on his forehead – _Damaged._

"I don't believe you. Give me a towel. _Now!_ " she demanded and he complied. He grabbed a new one from a drawer and held it out for her. She took it and then told him to get out. Once again, he complied. What else was he supposed to do?

He sat down on the bed and hunched forward, staring at the floor. He tried to comprehend what was happening. Was this a bad dream? He pinched his arm. When he didn't wake up, he pinched harder. It hurt, but still he did not wake. He could hear her getting out of the tub. Walking over to her closet, he picked out a new set of clothes for her. When he stepped into the bathroom once more, she was standing in front of the mirror, washing off her face. The towel was wrapped around her body. She jumped at the sight of him and took a step back. He put his hands up in defense, showing he meant no harm. "Here," he said and placed the pile of clothes next to the sink. She glanced back and forth between the pile and him.

"Why do you have women's clothing?" she asked.

"Because they're yours." With that, he left once again and closed the door so she could have some privacy.

Then he snapped.

He grabbed whatever was within his reach and smashed it against the wall. Flower pots, lamps, you name it. He even tore the curtains. When he ran out of things to destroy, he moved on to the main floor where all of the guys were waiting in silence to hear from their boss. They had not expected him to lash out the way he did. They watched in horror and flinched as he picked up a chair and threw it their way. The chair broke, but it wasn't enough. He had a switchblade in his pocket and dug it out, pressing the button that released the knife. Before he could take it to anyone's throat, Jonny stopped him, standing himself in between his employer and the rest of the men in the room. Jonny was bigger than the Joker, but size didn't matter. What truly meant something was _power_. Jonny had no power over the Joker. He never had. Until now.

The knife was still raised in his hand, but the Joker did not attempt to use it. Jonny casually motioned for the rest of the guys to move out from the room. They did. Once they were alone, the Joker dropped the knife to the floor and took a seat on the couch. Jonny remained standing. It was just like last time Harley had disappeared, but somehow, _this_ time… it seemed worse. And Jonny knew why.

Last time, all they had to do was get her back and she'd be back. Problem solved. But this time the problem was not solved because even though she _was_ back… she wasn't. She wasn't Harley.

The lump in his throat got bigger and bigger and the Joker thought he was about to choke on it. Then he exhaled through his mouth and it all came pouring out. His tears were silent. He wouldn't allow himself to start sobbing. Not in front of Jonny. Harley was the only one he trusted with that. He felt so ashamed right now. So vulnerable. _Defenseless_.

Jonny didn't say a word. He didn't know _what_ to say. But then again, the Joker probably did not want him to.

* * *

 **Author's note: I want to say thank you to everyone who reviewed the first chapter and I'm glad to hear you're excited for this story! I am too, to be honest. It's going to be one helluva ride. ;)**


	3. You Should See a Therapist

Harley flinched every time she heard something break against the wall from the other side of the door. She was glad to be safe and sound behind it and asked herself why he was throwing such a fit. If he didn't want her to be afraid of him, he wasn't exactly doing a good job. When she heard him leave the bedroom, she figured it was safe for her to come out. Slowly, she opened the door and, making sure that the coast was clear, walked over to the bed and sat down on it. She had to watch her step, because there were shards of broken pots scattered across the floor.

She had put on the clothes he'd given her. It was just a pair of jeans and a black t-shirt. Her face was clean of makeup and she had even tried to wash off the little heart under her right eye and the writing on her cheek, but she quickly realized they were tattoos. Tattoos were permanent. She hated them. They were all over her body. Even on her back. As she had turned around and looked back into the mirror, she found one on the back of her left shoulder. It was the image of a skull with a jester hat and the words _Property of Joker_ around did that even mean? And why was her hair half-blue and half-pink? She had so many questions and no answers whatsoever. Heck, she didn't even know her name. He had called her Harley. Was that really it?

As the wheels kept turning in her head, the one person she was thinking of entered the room. Her head flipped around and she instantly sprang to her feet at the sight of him. Joker carefully closed the door behind him and then remained where he stood. He didn't want to make things worse than they already were. Harley couldn't help but notice the red in his eyes. Had he been crying?

As he watched her, it was like seeing a deer caught in headlights. Her eyes were big and she was frozen to the spot, unable, or _afraid,_ to move. Joker sighed. "You're afraid of me, aren't you?"

"You scared me," she whispered and looked at the mess around her. "I heard you throwing things." He nodded as confirmation.

"Yeah, that happens at times. I usually have help." He looked into her eyes, hoping that if he did, somehow she would understand what he meant.

"You mean you're seeing, like, a therapist or something?" His face turned down and he attempted to hide his smile. It was a sad one. Her choice of words could not have been more spot on.

" _Ex_ -therapist, actually," he corrected. When he looked up again, she hadn't moved, but she seemed a little more relaxed. "Look," he started, "I'm not going to hurt you. Okay? I just want you to feel safe." Hearing the words come from his mouth made him want to laugh. Hurting people was what he did for a living and _nobody_ was safe around him. Harley however, was an exception. He tolerated her. Hell, he even _cared_ for her, which in this moment was more evident than ever. He just had never told her that. Never had to. He knew that she knew what he felt. Not once did he ever have to outright tell her what was on his mind. Somehow, she was always able to figure it out. But not anymore.

"Okay," she whispered.

"Okay." There was a pause between them and he came to think of the fact that she probably wouldn't let him sleep in the same bed, let alone the same _room_ , as her. "You can sleep here," he gestured to the bed. "I'll find another room. But maybe you'd like to eat something first? If you head down into the kitchen, Jonny will help you out with that and I can clean up this mess." As he said it, he realized just what a mess he had made. No way would he clean it up on his own. "Send someone up here to help me out, will you?" She nodded.

"Okay." Joker opened the door again and stepped aside, letting her pass. She never took her eyes off of him until she was way out of his reach on the other side of the threshold. The stairs were just to the left and so she headed down, proceeding towards the kitchen.

Jonny sat by the kitchen table together with three of the guys. They had just finished supper when Harley walked in and caught their attention. She just stood there, looking sheepish. They were not used to that and so all they could do was stare, waiting for her to do or say _something_. Eventually, she did speak. "Which one of you is Jonny?"

"Um, that would be me," Jonny said and Harley's eyes darted over to him. She recognized him from before. He seemed nice. Then she remembered what the funny looking man had told her just moments ago.

"Um, he-he said that he wanted help cleaning up…upstairs." They didn't have to ask to know that she meant the Joker. Jonny glanced over to the guys keeping him company and with a nod of his head, silently ordered them to take care of it. They rose from their seats and brushed past Harley, leaving the two alone.

Jonny politely asked her to sit down and she did, in the chair across from him. He got up and walked over to the counter where there was an opened box of pizza. "Do you like pizza?" he asked and took out a plate from the cupboard above his head. Harley had no answer for that. She couldn't remember ever having eaten pizza.

"I-I don't know," she said. "Never tried." Jonny put down the plate in front of her. Three slices of Hawaiian, which he knew to be her favorite. Perhaps it would help jog her memory? She just stared at the plate, contemplating whether she should eat it or not. She couldn't remember when she last ate, either. Deciding it was probably for the best, she grabbed one of the slices and brought it to her mouth. It tasted like heaven. She closed her eyes and moaned out of contentment. Finally, Jonny thought, something that reminds me of the old Harley. He smiled and chuckled lightly.

"Do you like it?"

"I _love_ it." Jonny opened the fridge and found exactly what he was looking for. Harley reacted to the sound of a bottle being placed on the table. She stopped eating and read the label on the bottle containing a purple liquid. _Grape soda._ Jonny received a questioning glance from her.

"Trust me," he said and went to fetch a glass. "You'll like it." He put it down in front of her and poured some of the fizzy drink into it. Without hesitating, she brought the glass to her lips and took a sip. Once again, she was not let down.

"This is amazing!" she confessed to him and he saw her smile for the very first time today. A real, genuine, wide smile. _If only the boss was here to see it._ Harley drank up most of the soda in one go and then helped herself to more. Jonny reclaimed his seat to join her and watched as she ate her meal.

Once finished, Harley wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. For the first time in a long time, she actually felt happy. Content. "All done?" Jonny asked and she nodded. He grabbed her plate and glass and put them in the sink with the rest of the dishes.

"Is my name really Harley?" He froze, then spun around to face her.

"Yes," he said with a nod. "Your name is Harley Quinn."

"Harley Quinn," she repeated to herself, testing the name out. "It's not so bad." Jonny shook his head.

"No, it's not." Harley inhaled, about to say something, but she hesitated.

"You know," she finally said, "you're the only one who seems normal around here." Jonny smiled at the ground and nodded his consent.

"You're probably right. At least I'm the _most_ normal. I don't like dressing up." Harley giggled and in turn, Jonny dropped his smile. He wasn't supposed to make her laugh. That was the Joker's job.

No sooner than Jonny had come to think of him, the Joker entered the kitchen and all eyes turned to him. Harley's face fell again and her giggling subsided. Joker noticed and there was the tiniest sense of pain stabbing at his heart. "The room's all prepared for you," he said and tried to avoid direct eye contact.

"Thank you," she replied, then excused herself from the table and thanked Jonny for dinner. She rushed up the stairs and her footsteps echoed in Joker's ears. He slumped down in the chair Harley had been occupying and his eyes fell on the empty soda bottle. He picked it up in his hand and showcased it to Jonny. "You got anything stronger than this?"

* * *

 **A/N: Anyone else hate Mondays? Yeah, so I wanted to give you this to hopefully lighten up your day, or maybe fill it with sadness, I don't know. Depends on how you see it, I guess. I also want to take a moment to thank everyone who has reviewed! I noticed you reacted quite strongly to the last chapter and it's always a pleasure when you want to share your thoughts with me! In my opinion though, this chapter was a lot more heartbreaking than the last. Poor J. :( I've been spoiling you a little with the updates on this, but now I need to slow down a little and focus on other things. Like college. But if you're lucky, there might be another chapter in the end of the week. :)**


	4. This Sounds Like a Rom-Com

Jonny poured himself and the Joker another round of scotch. They were still seated by the kitchen table in the middle of the night, talking about the situation at hand. "I wouldn't give up if I were you," Jonny said, trying to cheer up his boss. "I think there's a chance we can make her remember who she is. Just before when I gave her pizza and grape soda, she said she loved it. She just needs reminding, is all."

"You mean to tell me," Joker said and focused his eyes on Jonny, "that I should try to recreate memories and all of a sudden she'll remember? It's just like that movie. What's it called, now again?" His gaze and mind drifted away, trying to remember. "'Fifty' something."

" _Fifty Shades of Grey_?" Jonny asked and Joker shook his head, giving him a look.

"No, not _that_ one! The one with the girl who has short-term memory loss."

" _50 First Dates_?" Joker snapped his fingers.

" _That's_ the one! Don't look at me like that, Harley made me watch it," he added and Jonny tried to hide his stupid grin behind the glass as he took another sip. Joker took a swig of his own, barely feeling the burn in his throat. "No Jonny, I don't think it will be that easy. I need to find whoever did this to her, make them help her remember and then _end_ them. _Slowly_." He was already imagining all the thousands of ways to torture the bastards who had done this to his Queen. Meanwhile, Jonny was putting two and two together.

"Actually, I think I might have an idea of who our perp is." Joker went from imagining a severed head on a silver platter to attentively listening to what his right-hand man had to say.

"Well, don't keep it to yourself!" he urged him to speak.

"Think about it. Who else do we know that wanted ten million from us?" Suddenly, all the pieces fell into place. A devilish smile started to form on the Joker's lips.

"Jonny, you are a genius."

* * *

 _SIX WEEKS AGO_

The Joker was dressed in a dark magenta shirt and his fingers were bejeweled with golden rings. As always, he was watching Harley dance the night away from his private booth at the club. He was hypnotized by her every move, but then again, who wouldn't be? She was donning a sparkling, silver party dress that accentuated her curves. Her hair was flat and let down, whipping around her as she tossed her head in sync with the loud music.

Jonny carefully placed a hand on Joker's shoulder to get his attention and his eyes averted from Harley to see that his business partner had arrived. He put on his best, welcoming smile. It was a smile that creeped everyone out, but this business partner of his was unfazed by it, as he was all about being creepy.

Black Mask stepped into view, accompanied by two bodyguards. Black Mask, otherwise known as Roman Sionis, surely lived up to his name. His face was hidden underneath a black, skull-like mask and his eyes glowed red through the dark sockets. He wore an expensive, white suit with a crimson colored tie. When he spoke, the mask remained still on his head and his voice sounded distorted, almost like a robot. "I hope you haven't been kept waiting, Mr. Joker." _All that's missing is the labored breathing and he could pass as Darth Vader._ Joker inwardly laughed at his own remark.

"Not at all," he reassured, keeping his façade up and gestured for the masked man to have as seat. The bodyguards and Jonny remained standing, watching over their respective employers. "I see you're a man with a taste for theatrics, like myself. I love what you've done with the face." Black Mask could decipher the hidden sarcasm in Joker's voice and decided not to answer to that. Joker quickly changed the subject. "Do you have what I want?"

"I do. It's right outside. I'll have my boys bring it in." Joker nodded his consent, but as he looked to the "boys," it seemed they were not paying attention. He didn't have to take a guess to know what, or more precisely, _who_ , they were gawking at.

"I don't know, your boys seem a little _preoccupied_ to me. Enjoying the view, gentlemen?" The guards were brought back from their haze and tried to apologize, but the Joker wouldn't have it. "How rude of me, I should properly introduce her to you. I'll just call her over and you can feast your eyes. Why admire from a distance when you can have the front row seat, am I right?" Unable to persuade him otherwise, they all watched him whistle the way a master calls for his dog, and his little pet obediently made her way over to him.

Harley knew as soon as she saw the newly arrived guests that the Joker wanted her to meet them. But first, she would say hello to her Puddin'. She moved in close to him and cupped his face. "Hi, baby." She opened up her mouth and placed her lips on his. They shared a long, passionate kiss and moaned in unison, just to tease their audience. Harley wanted them to know that she was his and his alone. Jonny was used to this behavior of theirs and he tried not to smirk as he watched the awkward and disgusted looks on the guards' faces. It was hard to make out any kind of expression on Black Mask, but if he had to take a guess, Jonny figured he was most likely just annoyed by it all.

When Harley finally pulled away, she giggled sweetly. "You called for me?"

"Ah, yes! Harley, I'd like you to meet Black Mask." Harley finally acknowledged the man sitting across from them and she extended her right hand.

"Harley Quinn. Pleasure to meetcha!" Black Mask did not buy the exaggerated smile on her face and made no move to shake her hand. That is, until he found the Joker's eyes and they were spelling out words for him. _Take it._ Reluctantly, he took her hand in his.

"If you don't mind, Joker, I think it's better if we moved into a more private room. You have that here?" These two clowns were really testing his patience.

"Of course I do! We can proceed the discussion in my office."

"Good. My boys will retrieve the goods and meet us there." The guards headed back to the main entrance and Jonny was ordered to escort them and show the way to the office once they had gotten hold of everything.

"This way, if you please," Joker said and took the lead with Harley by his side.

The office looked more like a lounge; decorated in gold and red and there was a small bar at the very far end of the room. In the middle, there was a round, wooden table surrounded by two fancy, red velvet sofas with golden rims. Black Mask had a look around. "You call this an office?" In the same moment, a back door opened and Jonny walked in, followed by Black Mask's minions who were carrying a large box.

"This will be interesting," Joker said and had a seat on one of the sofas. "Come sit on Daddy's lap." He waved Harley over and she did as told. Her hand wound into his hair, whilst his found its way around her waist. Black Mask straightened his tie and seated himself on the other sofa, then told his boys to bring the box over. _CAUTION: HEAVY_ was written across it. Carefully, they put it down next to the table and opened the lid to reveal the contents. A satisfactory "ooh" escaped the Joker's lips, as he liked what he was seeing.

There was a whole set of brand new toys for him: high-tech weapons of all shapes and sizes. "Now this is what I call big guns! Whaddya think, Harley? Are they good enough to play with?"

"They look good enough to me," she said and smiled.

"All right, then." Black Mask snapped his fingers and the guards closed the lid shut. "Time to pay up." Joker nodded for Jonny to bring over a briefcase. He placed it on the table and opened it up for Black Mask to see the bundles of dollar bills inside.

"Fifty grand," Joker said. He couldn't tell, but beneath that mask, his business partner was struggling to keep his calm.

"Fifty grand?" he repeated and then raised his voice. "This is worth _ten_ _fucking_ _million!_ "

"All right," Joker said and put his hands up in defense. " _Forty_ grand, then."

" _Ten_. _Million_ ," Black Mask said between gritted teeth.

"Do you really want to make that thirty?" Joker asked, knowing fully well he was getting on this guy's nerves and it seemed he could contain himself no longer. Black Mask slammed his fist down on the table.

" _Enough!_ This ain't a playground. Quit foolin' me." Joker merely laughed and Harley joined in.

"Well, in case you didn't know," Joker said, "that's kind of what I do. And this _is_ my playground." He spread his arms wide open. " _My_ rules. You don't wanna play, then you can't win. Look, I can get this from someone else. Forty grand, take it or leave it, but if you're not going to change your mind, then I suggest you choose the latter, before I change _mine_." He took out the gun from his holster and aimed it at the man across from him. Black Mask stared at the barrel pointed at his face. His guards were about to draw their own guns, but he stopped them. He had paid a lot of money to get hold of this equipment. Forty thousand was at least better than nothing.

"I'll take it."

"Good choice," Joker said and put his gun away. Jonny removed ten thousand from the briefcase, then handed it to Black Mask who got to his feet and dusted off his suit. He caught a glimpse of that devilish smile he had heard so much about. The Joker was a man who loved to win. "Pleasure doing business with you." Black Mask scoffed at the clown's choice of words. In _his_ opinion, this had been no pleasure at all and hardly any business either. As Jonny escorted him and his two guards outside, there was only one thought going through his mind; _This ain't over, clown._

* * *

 **A/N: To anyone who guessed that Black Mask was behind all of this: CONGRATULATIONS! You figured it out! *Throws confetti.* This chapter was pretty fun to write. I always laugh a little when I read the drunken conversation between Joker and Jonny in the beginning. XD So this chapter was to lighten the mood a little and we got to see a glimpse of the old Harley, I hope you liked that! :)**


	5. The Quarrel

Harley slept much better than she thought she would. Somehow, the bed made her feel safe. Just like a baby in a crib. There was a digital clock on the nightstand that told her it was late in the morning. Time to get up _._ Out of curiosity, she walked over to one of the two closets and had a look. _Wrong closet._ All she found in there was men's clothing. _This has to be his closet, then._ She proceeded to the other one instead and sure enough, it was filled with nothing but women's clothing, shoes and accessories. Browsing through the collection, she noticed that there was no shortage of hot pants and tiny skirts or dresses with plunging necklines. She frowned. There was nothing in here that she wanted to wear. _I guess jeans and t-shirt will have to do, then._

To her relief, the only person Harley found when she entered the kitchen was Jonny, drinking coffee at the table. He gave her a friendly smile from behind his mug as he took a sip. "Good morning," he said.

"Good morning," she replied with a small smile of her own.

"I made you breakfast." There was a plate of freshly made pancakes and a tall glass of orange juice waiting for her, so she joined him at the table and dug in.

Harley was growing quite fond of Jonny. He was very kind. "How were the pancakes?" he asked her. She nodded with her mouth full and after swallowing, told him that they were great. "Good. Then I'm not entirely useless." She laughed again just like she had last night and Jonny wished he could just keep his mouth shut.

The Joker was currently out, looking for anything that could lead him to Black Mask. He had taken some of his men with him, but asked Jonny to stay behind and wait for Harley to wake up, since it appeared that he was the only one she took a liking to. Jonny could tell that it was hard for the Joker to actually say those words. Sure, Harley had always liked Jonny, but it was Joker she was head over heels for.

Harley drank up her juice and wiped her mouth. "Hey, Jonny?" she said tentatively.

"Yeah?" She took a moment to think it all through. Where to begin? There were so many questions she needed answered.

"I've been thinking and… I've come the conclusion that you don't want to hurt me. All you've done so far is help me and though I may not have shown it, I want you to know that I _do_ appreciate it." She had very few memories and so it was easy for her to replay them in her mind. But all she wanted to do was forget them. "Those people who held me captive…" Her skin crawled just thinking about it. "They weren't nice. I guess, because of that, I have some trust issues." She tried to laugh it off, but somewhere deep in her eyes, Jonny could see all the hurt she'd been through.

"That's understandable," he said and nodded. "And we _do_ want to help you. We want you to remember who you are."

"Could you tell me?" Harley asked, but it sounded more like a plea. She was desperate for answers. "Could you tell me who I am? Just little things, like, what's my favorite color? Where do I come from? What about family?" As soon as she'd said the word, a terrible thought hit her. "Oh God, do I have kids?" If she had any, how awful wouldn't it be for them to find that their mother didn't even know the faces of her own children? Jonny hurried to shake his head and let her know there was no need to worry.

"No! No, you don't." She breathed out, relieved to hear his answer. He let the words sink in before moving on. "But you do have a boyfriend." Harley fixed her eyes on his, searching them for an indication that he was lying to her.

"Please tell me it's not him."

Jonny was conflicted. She wanted him to lie to her, but how could he? He could tell she already knew the answer, but refused to acknowledge it.

"You already know. How else would you explain the pale complexion and the tattoos? He's etched into your very soul even, I should think." Harley's head went back and forth.

"You're lying."

"His name is all over your body." Harley twisted her neck to the left and glanced at the tattoo she had seen in the mirror. When she looked back at Jonny, he gave her a confirming nod. "That's him."

No matter how hard she tried, she just couldn't comprehend it. Why him of all people? It didn't make any sense to her. How could anyone fall in love with someone like that? "I don't understand it," she said. "He's so… _destructive_ and…" What was the best way to describe it? Instead of trying to come up with a specific word, she found it easier to explain how he made her feel. "He scares me," she admitted and her mind drifted off again. His face was so easy to picture. She saw his eyes. Blue like a clear sky. "But then he looks at me with those eyes as if I'm the most precious thing in his life and it's so confusing." Jonny could also picture what Harley was describing. It was very rare and Jonny had only seen the Joker give Harley that look once or twice, but when he did… there was no mistaking what Harley meant to him.

"Your love story is truly one of a kind. But perhaps you're not ready for that story yet?"

"No," she said. "Not yet. But maybe you could tell me something else? Something that gives me a clue of who I am."

"All right." He shrugged. "Well, for starters, you like to call me Frosty." Harley snorted with a laugh.

" _Frosty_? Why?" She just had to know.

"Because my name is Jonny Frost and you have a good sense of humor, albeit a bit twisted at times, but still good."

"Tell me something else!"

The Joker was now long forgotten and Harley was pleased with every piece of information Jonny gave her. All except for one. _Enough of unicorns and rainbows._ He was dead serious as he spoke. "Harley, you're a criminal." Her face fell.

"What?" she breathed out. He was confusing her.

"A criminal," he repeated with more emphasis this time. "You're wanted in a dozen states and you hurt people. I'm a criminal too. Everyone in this house…" He spread his arms open to illustrate it. "We're all criminals. It's what we do for a living." Harley didn't want to believe one word.

"No. No, it _can't_ be!" She rushed to her feet. " _I'm not a bad person!_ " She stormed out of the kitchen and Jonny followed her.

"Harley!" She was headed towards the front door. He picked up the pace. " _Harley!_ " He got to her before her hand reached for the handle and he grabbed her firmly by the arms. She tried to break loose, but Jonny was persistent to keep her in place.

" _Let go of me!_ " she exclaimed and tears were streaming down her face.

"Harley, you know I'm telling the truth! You can't just go out on the streets! The cops will catch you and lock you away and I can assure you, then there's _no way_ for you to remember who you are!"

She stopped struggling. She didn't want to admit it, but he had a point. Not knowing was the worst. More than anything, she wanted to remember. Even if that meant she would remember being a criminal. She supposed she could always just stop and try to live like a normal person. Get a job, maybe start a family. But nothing of that was possible behind bars.

"Thank you," she said.

"For what?"

"For being honest with me."

* * *

 _NINE DAYS AGO_

Joker stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around his waist. A nice, refreshing wash was just what he needed after a long day of dealing with some of his many business partners. Harley usually tagged along, but this time she had stayed at home, claiming that she wasn't feeling very well. If it had to do with the color red, he did not want to talk about it, so without giving it any further thought, he let her do as she pleased.

Stepping up to the sink, he reached for his comb, but his hand closed around something else that had taken its place. He had to rub his eyes to make sure he was seeing things clearly. Surely he was hallucinating? But no, he wasn't. As he exited the bathroom, still clutching the item in his hand, he found her resting on the bed, playing with her phone. "Harley…" he said and she looked up at the sound of his voice. "What's this?" He held it up for her to see and her eyes widened. Out of fear or out of embarrassment, he did not know.

"Shit," Harley said and shot up from the bed to snatch the pregnancy test from his hand. "I was supposed to throw that away." She walked into the bathroom and threw the test into the waste bin. She had completely forgotten about it and now she cursed herself for leaving it lying around.

"So why was it there?" he asked her when she returned. She wouldn't look him in the eyes. She felt too ashamed for that.

"Because I forgot! Okay?" She crossed her arms and sat back down on the bed, still not looking at him.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I figured since it came out negative, you wouldn't have to know, anyway!" She was acting like she cared. Otherwise she wouldn't be fuming over it the way she did.

"Harley, are you disappointed?" He could see it on her face. No answer was given to him, but he didn't need one. He sighed. "Harley, you know we can't have a baby. It just wouldn't work! We simply don't have time for it!" Nothing made him more uncomfortable than talking about babies, but as of now, it was necessary that he did so. It was to make her understand. Her head flipped around and she shot him a killing glare, clearly disagreeing.

"Well, then maybe next time we should use protection so you don't have to worry about a stupid baby!" she snapped. Oh, so she wanted to argue now, did she? Well, Joker wasn't about to disappoint.

"Or better yet, maybe we shouldn't have sex at all!" Harley got back on her feet, practically fuming even more with rage.

"Fine! I might just as well move out then!" She stomped right over to her closet, grabbed a suitcase and tossed a bunch of clothes into it without looking.

"Go ahead! Look at all the fucks I give!" Harley slammed the suitcase shut and proceeded to the door, but she wouldn't leave without having the last laugh. She sure as hell wasn't letting _him_ have it.

"And I'm taking the espresso machine, because Ivy doesn't have one!" She slammed the door right in front of his nose when he attempted to follow her and stop her from taking the espresso machine. But then he thought better of it and just let it pass. _Let her have that damned machine. She'll be back with it in a couple of days anyway._

She never came back.

* * *

 **A/N: I've gone over this chapter a couple of times now and I'm still not that pleased with how it came out, but maybe I'm just being hard on myself? I hope you guys like it, at least! Now you know what their fight was about. ;)**


	6. Don't Give Up on Me

Shutting the door in his face, Harley left the Joker, dragging her suitcase down the stairs and stomping into the kitchen to fetch the espresso machine. Jonny and the guys didn't even bother questioning her when she grabbed it under her right arm and firmly yanked it along, pulling the plug in the process. No one dared to. They had learned the hard way not to mess with Harley Quinn when she was having a bad day. Nonetheless, Jonny admitted to himself that he was going to miss that machine. _We'll just have to make do with the old coffee brewer, then._

Harley grabbed her purse on the way out and headed to her car. She tossed her suitcase and the espresso machine into the backseat before kick-starting the engine, driving off to Ivy's. Harley couldn't remember the last time she had been this upset. She couldn't even begin to remember what she had said to him back there. No matter, she thought and tried shaking it off. _It will all be forgotten in a couple of days._

She pulled up outside Ivy's apartment and as soon as she got out of the car, she felt it. Harley inhaled through her nose and let out a groan. "Great. _Now_ you decide to come!" She looked down at her stomach as if scolding it. Fortunately, she had put on a panty liner earlier that day just in case. She had no idea why her period was late, but there could only be one reason, right? That's why she had to make sure. For two sweet seconds, as she remembered her friend Floyd Lawton saying, she had had hope. A part of her really wanted to hear the sound of innocent laughter, wanted to see a pair of tiny little feet wobbling across the floor and tiny little hands reaching for her. Maybe someday he would open up to the idea. But today was not that day.

She walked up to the front door and knocked. Ivy didn't have a doorbell. "Red?" she called. No answer. She knocked again. "Red?" And again. " _Red!_ " Still no answer and not a sound was heard from within. Harley sighed. "Where are you when I need you the most?" She realized that she couldn't wait forever. Who knew when Ivy would be back? Lucky for Harley, there was one other person she could turn to.

Selina Kyle lived in East End, arguably the most dangerous part of Gotham. Sometimes she would help make the place just a little safer. Some thugs out there on the streets just didn't have any kind of moral or respect and Selina hated that. She was surprised to hear the sound of the doorbell not long before midnight. She was still up watching TV and left the device on as she went to answer. Having a look through the peephole, she determined that her visitor was not looking for any trouble and so she opened the door.

"Hi, Cat!" Harley greeted from behind the espresso machine in her arms.

"Harley," Selina said, looking rather bemused. "What a pleasant surprise."

"Yeah, sorry for dropping by on such short notice, but," she readjusted her grip on the machine, "I need a place to stay for the night." Selina had no problem with that.

"Of course, that's totally fine. Why did you bring a coffee machine?"

"Espresso," Harley corrected. It was very important to her. "It's _espresso!_ Would you be a doll and make me a cup? I need to use the bathroom. And do you have any chocolate?" Harley handed the machine over to Selina and pushed through to get to the bathroom as quickly as possible. Selina chuckled to herself.

"That time of the month, eh?"

Just as she had hoped, Harley found some spare tampons packed in the suitcase. It was always good to be prepared. When she came out of the bathroom, she joined Selina on the couch in front of the TV. "Here you go," Selina handed her a cup of espresso and a box of chocolates. She had bought it on a whim about a week ago, but hadn't actually gotten around to eating any of it. If she knew Harley well, there would be no chocolates left for her, but she didn't mind. Harley needed them more than her anyway. She beamed at Selina and gave her a hug.

"Thanks. You're the best!" Selina gave a simple shrug.

"I know. So tell me… Looks like you've had a rough day." Harley snorted.

"More like insufferable."

"I thought Ivy was the one you went to for comfort?"

"Oh, I went there," Harley explained. "But she wasn't at home, so you were my second choice." It might have sounded bad, but Selina knew that Harley only meant well.

"Gee, I feel so privileged." There was a tiny smile on her lips and just as Selina knew that Harley had meant no disrespect, Harley knew there was no real sarcasm to her friend's words.

In that moment, a dark grey cat jumped into the room from an open window. "Hey, Isis!" The cat jumped up onto Selina's lap and she scratched it behind the ears. "My precious baby." _Baby._ Harley told herself not to cry, but the hormones told her otherwise. Her eyes watered and Selina noticed.

"What's wrong? Was it something I said?" Harley sniveled and gave Selina a half-hearted smile.

"It's just the hormones, but…" She wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. "Do you really want to hear about my rough day?"

"Shoot."

* * *

Harley told her everything and Selina was at a loss for words. "Wow. I… Harley, I don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything," Harley reassured, but Selina begged to differ.

"I'm sorry, Harley." Isis gracefully leaped from Selina's lap to Harley's and lay down to rest on her stomach. It was just what Harley needed.

"Ooh, that feels nice! Thanks kitty." As if saying "you're welcome," Isis meowed and began purring when Harley stroked her back. Oh yeah, Harley thought and it was a sad reminder. _Cats purr._ There was someone else she knew who tended to purr whenever she ran her hands through his hair late at night. She told herself not to think about it.

"She likes you." Selina exchanged a smile with Harley. "And Harley?"

"Yeah?" Selina paused.

"You can stay here as long as you like."

"Thanks, Selina."

The two women were unaware of the car on the other side of the street and the man sitting behind the wheel. He brought his phone up to his ear and waited for the recipient to pick up. "Boss? I've found her."

* * *

 _PRESENT DAY_

Joker yanked the front door open and walked into the lounge area with heavy footsteps. He took off his jacket, tossed it aside and let himself drop down on the couch with an exhausted sigh. He massaged his temples, feeling a slight headache coming on after the day's search, which had proved to be unfruitful. It was only 6:30 in the evening, but the whole search party was tired and worn out. Nobody complained about it of course. Only if they had a death wish.

Jonny came down from upstairs to have a chat with his boss, but halfway into the room he noticed the worn down look on the Joker's face. He was prepared to turn around and leave him in peace, but that wasn't what the Joker had in mind. "Stop." He hadn't even looked Jonny's way, but he knew his trusty henchman was there. Trained to obey orders, Jonny came to a halt. "Turn around." He turned. "Come here. _Now._ " He came, sat down so that they were face to face and Joker could ask him about Harley. "Where is she now?"

"She said she was a little cold, so she's taking a bath."

"But she doesn't remember anything?" Jonny looked down.

"No." Joker clenched his jaw and fists. It wasn't the answer he wanted to hear. Jonny figured as much and thought it would be a good idea to try and prevent any possible outbreak. "But I told her a little about herself and she seemed okay with that," he added. Was it considered as lying if you left out some pieces of information? The answer? Yes.

Joker leaned forward, invading Jonny's personal space, staring him unblinkingly in the eyes. "There's something you're not telling me." Jonny didn't say a word, but merely shook his head after a moment of silence. "Don't lie to me, Jonny. We've been through _so much_ together. I can tell when you're lying just as well as _you_ can tell what I'm going to do to you if you don't tell me the truth." Jonny wouldn't say that he _knew_ , but he could take a pretty good guess. He braced himself and prepared for the worst.

"She was fine with everything except for the fact that she's a criminal." _Please don't make me say the rest._ It was like Joker could read his mind.

" _And…?_ " That wasn't what Jonny was hiding and Joker knew it. There had to be something more that he wouldn't dare say, because he feared what the reaction might be. Reluctantly, Jonny gave in.

"And she also didn't like the part when I told her she was in love with you."

Joker remained eye contact with Jonny, who was almost starting to sweat because he had never felt so inferior in his entire life. He was like a mouse cornered by a big, hungry cat. As it turned out though, no matter how long the mouse waited, the cat did not pounce. Instead, Joker got up from his seat, his eyes cold and empty. Sure, he wasn't happy to hear the news, but then again, they could hardly be classified as news. He already knew that Harley detested him. At least this amnesiac version of her did. That was why he was so tied down. He had absolutely no idea what to do. She was the only person who emotionally cared for him and she was also the only person whom _he_ emotionally cared for, no matter how much he hated to admit it.

"I should talk to her," Joker said after a while of silent thinking. He started towards the stairs, but Jonny stopped him.

"Maybe you should wait? I told her dinner would be ready by seven. You can talk to her then." Joker agreed and seeing as he was responding calmly to everything so far, Jonny took the opportunity to propose something. "And boss? Don't take this the wrong way, but I don't think you can do this on your own. You need help." Joker rolled his eyes.

"Help with _what_ exactly?"

"Finding Black Mask and even more importantly… make Harley remember."

"And who do you suppose I should ask?"

"There's only one person I can think of. But you're not going to like it." Joker was beginning to realize where this was headed, but he let Jonny finish nonetheless. "You need the Bat."

 _Are you trying to give me a migraine?_ It was preposterous. Last time Joker checked, they were sworn enemies. Not in a million years would the Bat _ever_ agree to help him. A laugh resounded from deep within his throat. "Do you realize how stupid it sounds? It's like a bad joke!"

"I know, but hear me out: he's the greatest detective within hundreds of miles! If there's anyone who can help you, it's him." Jonny had a point, but Joker wouldn't give him the satisfaction of telling him so. "At least consider it," Jonny added before getting up. "Why don't you sit back down and I'll get you an Advil."

* * *

Restless, stressed, anxious and with his gaze locked on the clock hanging on the kitchen wall, Joker toyed around with a big knife in his hand. It was almost a quarter past seven. Why hadn't she come down yet? Supper was getting cold. Something was off. He could feel it. Without warning, he plunged the knife down into the table and stormed up to the second floor. When he reached their room, he stopped himself from bursting through the door and knocked first to see if she would answer. "Harley?" There was no response. He knocked again, harder this time. " _Harley?_ " He couldn't hear any movement on the other side, so he let himself in.

She wasn't there. Not on the bed, not hiding in the closet. Then there was only one option left. The bathroom door was closed, but he could see that the lights were on through the narrow gap by the floor. He approached carefully and knocked once more, saying her name and asking her if she was all right. _Why won't she answer me?_ He pressed down the handle and pulled. _Damn it._ It was locked. He tried to pull again and again with even more force than the last time, but it wouldn't budge. He cursed out loud. _Guess I'll have to do it the old-fashioned way._ All he needed to do was rummage through a couple of drawers to get his hands on a gun. He fired at the lock and it broke, opening the door for him.

There she was, lying unconscious in the tub, her head limply resting against the side. _No._ He was certain that his heart rate increased by a thousand percent and he didn't waste one second, but fell to his knees next to the tub and cupped her face in his hands. The first thing he did was check for a pulse. It was there, albeit very weak. Then he noticed just how warm her skin felt. He placed the back of his hand to her forehead. She was burning up. Yesterday, she had been as cold as a Popsicle and now this? It seemed her memories weren't the only thing that those bastards had messed up. He patted his hand against her cheek. "No, no, don't do this to me now, baby. Come on, _wake up!_ " Nothing happened. He had to get her out of the water and cool her down. Not caring if his shirt got soaked, he reached down into the water and carried her naked body out of it. He managed to grab a towel on the way out, then laid her down on their bed and wrapped it around her. He opened up all the windows to let in the chilly night air. Whatever it took to bring her temperature down, he would do it. It was hard to admit, but the idea of a Bat didn't sound so bad right now.

* * *

 **A/N: And the story keeps intensifying! I think this is the longest chapter yet, so yay for that! Once again, thank you all so much for your sweet reviews! It makes me so happy to hear that you like the story, but I would also like to know if there's anything I can improve when it comes to the language or the style of it, because English is not my native language, so if you find any grammatical errors or whatnot, please let me know! I want to improve as much as possible! Hope you liked this chapter! :)**


	7. Desperate and Broken

At first, Joker hadn't cared about his damp shirt clinging to his arms, but after only a few minutes it bothered the hell out of him, so he changed into a new, dry one. A gust of wind passed through the opened windows in the bedroom and he involuntarily shuddered. It was pretty darn cold, but if it helped cool Harley down, it was worth it. He watched her as she lay there on the bed in front of him. She was still unconscious and even though she had a fever, she lay perfectly still. It was like a picture taken straight out of a fairytale. She was the beautiful, sleeping princess waiting for true love's kiss to wake her up. He stopped himself right there. It was silly. _Childish_ , even. Still, it couldn't hurt to try, could it? Quietly, he made his way over to her side. He brushed some strands of wet hair out of her face and then brought his lips down on hers. _Please remember._

She felt soft lips planting a kiss on her own and it was as if they merged together like two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. It was a perfect match. Meant to be. Maybe that's why she felt so warm? And dizzy. Blurry images flashed before her eyes in vibrant colors and she heard the sound of laughter. The images conveyed a sense of happiness and security to her. It was electrifying in a way. Her eyes fluttered open and focused on the face right above hers. She instantly recognized his eyes and that was all she needed.

A high-pitched scream escaped her mouth and Joker backed away, once again feeling a stab at his heart as he recognized the sheer horror in her eyes. Would she ever look at him the way she used to? Oh, how he missed it right now – the unconditional and eternal love shining in her eyes. Instead, he was forced to watch as she curled up and grabbed the pillow behind her head to use it as a shield of sorts. She wanted nothing more than to get away from him. Just like any other forgettable victim. But she was no victim and least of all was she forgettable. You just could not forget someone like her and Joker knew that better than anyone. He had tried to forget about her by letting her drown in that vat of acid, but he had failed horribly by ending up saving her instead. Oh, the things she made him do. It drove him mad and he hated it. But he still loved her. If only she could say the same about him.

" _Can't you just leave me alone?_ " Harley yelled and started crying. She was scared out of her wits and soon realized she was feeling rather unwell.

" _Please_ ," Joker begged. That's right; the Joker – _begging_. Now there was a sight. And to make it even worse, he was being _sincere_ about it. "Try to calm down. You're not well. I'm only trying to help you." As her pulse kept increasing, Harley's breathing became more labored. The dizziness was really getting to her now and it was hard to focus her eyes any longer. Unable to prevent it, she passed out before she had the chance to say anything more. Joker rushed to her side and placed his hand on her forehead again. If anything, it felt worse than before. He couldn't take this. The stress, the pain. It was all too much. He wished there was a way for him to just forget about it all. Nonetheless, he knew he had to pull himself together. Thinking it was best while she was still out of it, Joker helped Harley get dressed and ready to leave the house. There was not a moment to lose. He had Jonny pull the car up and they grabbed some useful gear before speeding off to the GCPD headquarters.

* * *

Bruce was on his usual patrol around the city late at night when the Bat-signal was turned on. _What does Gordon want this time?_ It didn't take him long to get there, gliding from rooftop to rooftop. He landed gracefully on his feet in front of the signal, its bright light not so easy on the eyes. A figure stepped out from behind it, but it wasn't Gordon or anyone else in the police force. When his face came into the light, Joker flashed a silver-toothed smile and Bruce's heart stopped for a moment. "Been a long time comin', Batsy ol' friend." Bruce didn't hesitate one moment and Joker was not surprised when suddenly he was held by the collar and a big, black fist raised into the air, ready to punch some more of his precious teeth out, given there were any left. "Aww, I missed you too, but there's no need to get all excited. I already know I turn you on." The raised fist connected with his jaw and the pain was numbing. The clown laughed. "Is that all ya got? I have to admit I'm a bit disappointed. Come on, one more. _Harder_ this time." Bruce didn't do it.

" _I'm not here to play! Where's Gordon?_ "

"Uh… I believe he's taking a nap." Bruce hit him again. He wanted straight answers, but all he got was a moan that did not correspond to the situation at hand. "Ooh, _that's_ the spot!" Bruce grabbed hold with both his hands and slammed the Joker down with his back flat against the roof. He was now directly above his opponent, pinning him down in place. He should have known better. "Look, if you want to be on top, that's fine with me." Another blow to the jaw. This time it _did_ hurt and Joker thought it was high time to get to the point. "Okay, get your shit together and hear me out, okay?" He put his hands up to show there were no tricks up his sleeves. "It's only sleeping gas, they will all wake up in half an hour or so." Bruce had a hard time believing what he was hearing. If Joker hadn't killed anyone, which was usually the case, then what was he doing here?

"So why are you here?"

"You're not going to believe this, but…" He would rather not say it, but he had to. For Harley. "I need your help."

Bruce wanted to laugh, but he contained himself. He didn't even as much as make a face. Had he heard right? "You need _my_ help?" he asked incredulously.

"Yes. Yes, I need your help." _Do I really have to repeat myself?_

"What makes you think I would ever help _you_?" Joker knew the Bat would say that. He was all too predictable.

"See, that's exactly what I told Frost! I said: 'What makes you think he will help me? After all I've done to him, there is _no way_ he would and you can be certain that he would never help _her_ either.'" Bruce loosened his grip somewhat as he realized what this was all about.

"So this is about Harley?" _Finally you get it!_

"Yes, this is about Harley and if you don't help her, then…" He stopped suddenly and exhaled through his nose. Bruce saw something in his eyes. He had no idea what to call it, but it was something new. Something he had never seen before. He got to his feet, letting the Joker do the same.

"What's happened to her?" Bruce asked, still wary and untrusting of Joker, but a feeling in his gut that told him that his arch-enemy was actually, for once, being serious. Perhaps more serious than he had ever been before?

"She's lost her memory. She doesn't know who she is and she doesn't know who _I_ am." He pointed to himself. "And to top it all off, she's very sick and I can't handle _any_ of it."

"How come she lost her memory?"

"I don't know," Joker said, growing tired of all these questions. "All I know is that Black Mask is responsible and I'm going to find him. In the meantime, I want _you_ to find a way to bring Harley's memories back." Bruce never thought he would ever see the Joker this desperate. He was no doubt out of his mind if he thought for even a split second that Bruce would _ever_ help him. This was the man who had killed one of the most important people in Bruce's life and his girlfriend was partially responsible for it. And now he wanted him to help her.

"And if I refuse?"

One determined step at a time, Joker approached the caped crusader who was both bigger and taller and a creature who instilled fear into all of the city's criminals. This night however, Joker hoped to instill some fear in _him_. "If you _refuse_ … If you don't _help_ her… Then I will _make_ you." Bruce let the words sink in and thought long and hard about it. What the Joker was asking was a favor he was undeserving of. For all the pain that he had caused, Bruce had suffered greatly. He knew what it was like to lose someone you loved. He knew what that loss could do to a person. It had sent him down a dark path. He too, had caused pain because of it. If the Joker was to experience the same kind of loss, how much pain would he inflict upon the world and how many would suffer? Despite everything that he had done, it was a risk that Bruce was not willing to take.

"I believe you."

* * *

 **A/N: And the plot thickens! I know this is really short, I'm sorry about that, but I kind of felt like it was best to end it there and I'm running on a tight schedule right now. College has me studying every day of the week and next Friday I will have my first exam. It will be about phonology. I'm studying English to become a teacher, so when I hear all of you say that you think my writing is good, it really means a lot! Also I'm sorry for not having replied to any of your reviews until now. I got notifications sent to my email, but for some reason I couldn't see them on here. :/ That was also why I wanted to post this short chapter in order to tell you guys just how much I appreciate your reviews! One thing I've noticed is that a lot of people feel bad for Joker and I completely understand why. I feel the same way and it's what I felt when watching Suicide Squad. It's just so interesting, because as far as live-action performances go, this is the first Joker who we can actually say that we feel slightly sorry for, because it is so evident that deep down he actually does have feelings for Harley and it's just so nice to see that side of him. :)**

 **Anyway, I will write whenever I have the time to, I promise! I know what I want to do next with this story, so hopefully that means I will be able to finish the next chapter quite soon! :)**


	8. The Bearded Lady

Right from the moment Bruce laid his eyes on Harley, he could tell she was not the same quirky and dangerous woman he knew her to be. She was so confused and scared. She was scared of him and practically begged Frost to let her stay with them, even if that meant being around the Joker, because a fully grown man dressed as a bat was just too much for her. Harley had never been scared of him before and Bruce found it painful to see her this way. Casting a glance Joker's way though, _painful_ seemed like a word more suited for the look on _his_ face.

The Bat reached for something in his utility belt and Joker watched as he tossed a syringe to Jonny who was holding Harley in his arms. She was sobbing against his shoulder. He caught the syringe midair and looked into the face of the caped crusader, asking what the hell it was for. "It's a tranquilizer," Batman explained. "She'll be dozed off for the next couple of hours." Jonny looked to his boss, asking for his consent. Joker nodded and Harley let out a short cry of pain as the needle dug into her arm. In only a matter of seconds, she grew limp in Jonny's embrace and Batman could finally approach without getting yelled at. He picked her up in his arms with ease and then pressed a button on his wristband. The Batmobile would pull up outside the police station in a few minutes.

The Joker moved to stand next to his greatest adversary in wait for his ride. He looked down at Harley who was now sleeping. Not so comfortably, but at least she was in good hands. Joker knew this to be true. Perhaps the Bat could not trust _him_ , but _he_ could trust the Bat. At the end of the day, he would never let Harley die. Not when there was something he could do about it. Somehow, Joker had a feeling that Batman had a soft spot for Harley, as if she were some kind of angel who had fallen victim to his darkness. Joker would never understand it. Harley was never an angel. He had known it from the very first day he met her in that therapy room in Arkham. The way she carried herself and the way she approached him was so different from what he had ever seen before. She was not afraid to confront him. Already from day one, she had caught his attention and the only other person who had managed to catch the Joker's attention was standing right beside him in this very moment, holding his precious gem. There was something funny about it; he just couldn't help but laugh.

Bruce turned his head an inch and wondered why the hell the Joker was laughing. "I should probably ask what's so funny," he said, "but I won't." Joker shook his head all while trying to compose himself.

"You never get the joke, do you?" Joker said. "Come on Bats, even with no sense of humor, surely you must see the funny side of this whole ordeal." Bruce admitted that it was all quite bizarre, but it was no laughing matter. Not to him, anyway.

The Batmobile came around the corner and stopped just in front of its owner. Before Bruce could move an inch, Joker placed his gloved hand on his armored shoulder. He came around to face him and, looking into his cold eyes, Bruce wondered what exactly he had gotten himself into. "You fix her," Joker said and glanced down at Harley. "I don't care how, just do it." _Because I can't lose her._

* * *

 _EIGHT DAYS AGO_

Harley awoke late in the morning on the couch in Selina's apartment. She yawned loudly and stretched her arms out in the process of getting up. She could smell breakfast being made in the kitchen. Selina stepped into view, still dressed in her PJs and holding a spatula in her hand. "Morning sunshine! I thought that wasn't the yawn of a cat I heard." Harley smiled in return and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes before following Selina into the kitchen. She was wearing a pajamas herself that she got to borrow from her friend. It was checkered in pink and white.

"Whatcha makin'?" Harley asked and sat down by the table.

"Eggs and bacon," Selina answered and started plating said food for herself and her guest. "Here you go." She put down the plate in her left hand in front of Harley who didn't waste one second to feast on her morning meal.

Selina suggested they should go out that night to have a good time and forget about everything else. Harley thought it was a good idea, so around 9:30 that night, they left the apartment, ready for some festivities.

* * *

Black Mask was in his office, looking out over the city through the tall windows. He could see his own reflection in them. He could see his eyes glowing red like a lethal fire. There was a knock on his door and without turning, he told them to come in. The door opened and the sound of high heels approached him. "Any news, Ms. Li?" he asked.

"Sir, they have eyes on Quinn and the Cat. They seem to be headed to a club. Should I tell them to engage?" He allowed himself a smirk beneath his mask. Soon, he would have her.

"Yes," he said, "but leave the Cat out of it. She must not know. Tell them to wait for the right moment and then bring Ms. Quinn to me."

"Yes, sir."

* * *

One hour had passed at the club and Harley and Selina downed another shot by the bar after having spent some time on the dancefloor. Sure, it wasn't Mistah J's club, which Harley much preferred, but with good company like Selina, it didn't really matter. "I'm going to the restroom," Harley said and left Selina who was being eyed by the bartender.

"Keep staring and I'll scratch your eyes out," she warned and suddenly the guy was all too busy polishing glasses to even notice she was there.

The ladies' room was empty when Harley entered and she stepped into one of the four booths. After a couple of minutes inside the booth though, she heard the door to the restroom open and loud music poured in until the door closed again. In the same moment, she flushed and stepped out of the booth to wash her hands. That's when she saw the other person who had just entered the restroom. She double-took. Was she really that drunk? There was a man in the ladies' room. He was tall and broad over the shoulders, dressed in a marine blue suit and had dark, slicked back hair and a goatee. "Okay, one of us is in the wrong restroom," she said, but then came up with a quip that was too good to pass up. "Or maybe you're the bearded lady?" The man didn't say a word, but withdrew a gun from inside his jacket and pointed it at her head. "Okay, bearded lady with a gun," she remarked, but didn't act as if she felt inferior or defenseless. "So what's this all about, huh?" she asked and crossed her arms, but then stopped him from giving an answer. "No, wait! Let me guess… I annoyed the hell out of your boss and now he's sent you to take me to him, am I right?" The man did not move his lips, nor did he as much as give her a nod to confirm her suspicion. In short, that was all she needed as confirmation. "I am, aren't I?" she said triumphantly. "I'm just so perceptive!" The man shoved the barrel against her head and that shut her up. If only she had remembered to take her own gun with her before storming out of the house last night.

"You're coming with me," he said and Harley put her hands up in defense.

"Alright, ya got me. Take me to your supreme leader and get this over with."

"Give me your purse," he demanded. Harley had hoped he wouldn't say that, but what was she supposed to do? She had fought monsters in narrow spaces before, but at least the monsters hadn't carried guns. It was in moments like this that she missed her baseball bat.

"Okay, take it," she said and held out her purse, but before he could take it, she purposefully dropped it and when he reflexively bent down to grab it, she took hold of his gun and he fired a bullet into the roof. Two more guys rushed in and grabbed hold of Harley. She doubted anyone had even heard the gunshot and they certainly wouldn't hear her scream over the loud music. The man with the gun came at her from behind and hit her hard in the head with it. Harley saw stars dancing in front of her eyes and the last thing she remembered was being shoved into the trunk of a car.

* * *

 **A/N: Um... hi! So, I'm back! For this little rushed update anyhow. I know it's been so long since I last updated and I am sorry that this chapter is so rushed and awful, but I am so busy right now with college. I really don't have much time for anything else, but I really wish I did. I hope you're not disappointed, but that's how it is I'm afraid. :/ So I can't make any promises on when the next chapter will be up. You just know that I haven't forgotten about it. I will update whenever I have the time to. :)**


	9. Wayne Manor

Alfred had been confused to say the least when Bruce had told him over the phone that the notorious Harley Quinn was going to be their house guest for some time ahead. The butler had asked him to repeat it, hoping he had heard wrong, but no. Once he got to know about the circumstances however, it all made sense.

Alfred was waiting in the Batcave when the Batmobile pulled up and Bruce carried the unconscious Harley to the examination table. When Alfred had a closer look, he thought he was looking at a completely different woman. She had no makeup on and no pigtails and she was dressed like any other person, wearing a simple black t-shirt and a pair of skinny jeans. The only thing that really convinced him that this was Harley Quinn were her tattoos and the pink and blue shades in her blonde hair. "Well, this is unusual," was his only remark.

"Try 'bizarre,'" Bruce said as he removed his cowl.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Alfred glanced down at Harley.

"She'll be asleep for another hour," Bruce reassured. "I'm going to run some tests and see if I can find anything." He looked down at Harley's sleeping form and sincerely hoped, for everyone's sake, that he would get the right answers.

* * *

 _EIGHT DAYS AGO_

When Harley opened her eyes, she was no longer in a trunk, but in a well and expensively furnished room. An office most likely. She was lying down on a leather sofa, her face looking up at the ceiling where she saw a small crystal chandelier. She didn't wonder that much about where she was. This wasn't the first time she had woken up in a strange place. Turning her head to the side, she noticed there were four pairs of eyes staring at her, which instantly made her feel uncomfortable. Instinctively, she sat up and attempted to cover herself, but once she realized that she was still fully dressed (although her skirt was quite short and she had no stockings on) she breathed out and could face the others in the room without feeling embarrassed.

The first thing she noticed was that there were three men and a woman. The woman was looking all business-like in a skirt and jacket. Her black hair was tied into a ponytail resting on her back and she wore square-shaped glasses. She was standing up together with two of the men who Harley instantly recognized from the club. They were looking way too smug in her opinion. The third man was sitting down in an armchair opposite to her. Harley had seen him before as well, although she couldn't pinpoint exactly when. His face was well hidden underneath a black mask in the shape of a skull. The only thing she could really distinguish of his real face were his eyes. They glowed red in the dark. "Harley Quinn," he spoke and at the sound of his voice, she remembered that night at the club. A voice like that was hard to forget. It was almost like having a ghost speak to you. "We finally meet again."

"Oh yeah," she said. "I remember you! What was it again? Black Spider? No, wrong guy," she added and corrected herself. She pretended to think hard. "Black… Manta?" She could see his hands tightening hard around the armrests so that his knuckles grew white. She smirked. "No, of course it's not Black Manta," she said. "I'm just messing with ya!" And she laughed. Black Mask stood from his seat and walked over to Harley. He crouched down so that their faces were level and without her permission, he placed his hands on her thighs for support. She did not attempt to remove them. She only looked into the fiery pits of his eye sockets.

"I've had quite enough of you clowns messing with me," he said in a low and intimidating voice. " _Quite_ enough. But from here on out, you should learn not to mess with me ever again." Harley kept her cool.

"Was that a threat?" she asked. His hands slid from her thighs as he stood up tall again, staring her down.

"A promise," he said and she could have sworn he was smiling. He turned and gestured for his men to take Harley away. They grabbed her firmly by the arms and dragged her up from the sofa. She laughed once more.

"I take it you don't know that Mr. J doesn't like other people touching what's his." Black Mask watched as his men escorted her out of his office. Never once did she break eye contact with him. In a way he felt privileged to receive such a hateful stare from the infamous Harley Quinn as he would be the last one she looked upon that way. Soon, she would cease to exist.

"Oh, I know," he reassured. "I will tell him you said hello." Harley only managed to catch a glimpse of her phone in Black Mask's hand before the door closed shut.

* * *

 _PRESENT DAY_

"Master Bruce, I _insist_ that you get some sleep. You've been awake for almost nineteen hours now." Bruce looked at Harley with tired eyes, waiting for some sort of response from her, but she remained as still as ever. It would still be another hour, if not more, until the tests were done. He sighed.

"All right, I'll go. But as soon as the tests are done or if she wakes up –"

"I will notify you," Alfred finished for him. Bruce nodded and left the cave.

Alfred admitted that he was a little tired himself, but Bruce needed sleep more than he did. He glanced at the computer screen to look at the test process. 59 percent done. "Somehow I have a feeling this is going to be a long night," he said to himself and settled down comfortably in his chair.

* * *

It was so quiet. She didn't hear a sound. If she opened her eyes now, would she be looking at emptiness? Perhaps she had moved on to the next life? Harley stirred where she lay and whatever she was lying on wasn't very comfortable. She drew in a breath, filling her lungs with air and then slowly opened her eyes. Emptiness was not what greeted her, thank God. But it looked very peculiar. She raised herself up and looked around more closely. It looked like she was in a… a _cave?_ It did not resemble a cave that much, however. There were lights installed to illuminate the place and everywhere she looked there was high-tech equipment.

She was so confused. Why did she keep waking up not knowing where she was? "He-hello?" Harley said aloud, hoping that someone would answer and tell her where the hell she was. No one came. "Hello?" she said again, a little louder. "Is there someone here? Where am I?" Just as she was about to call out again, she felt something hard connect with the back of her head and she fell back into unconsciousness.

Alfred gently poked her arm with the plank he had just knocked her out with. There was no reaction coming from her. Now he understood why she liked her baseball bat and mallet so much. They proved to be quite effective. "I suppose I should say I'm sorry, but I guess that makes us even now," he said, although he knew she couldn't hear him. Ever since she took on her name, Harley Quinn had caused so many people so much pain. She deserved some of her own medicine, but Alfred couldn't help but feel slightly guilty for hitting her. The woman in front of him was clueless to all the wrongs she had done and it seemed like she wouldn't even hurt a fly. Looking at the screen again, he was able to see when the percentage changed from 99 to 100. He called on Bruce who came down to help Alfred move Harley into the house instead. It was a risk to keep her down in the Batcave for too long. After that, Bruce went back to have a look at the tests and what he found was most interesting.

* * *

This time waking up, Harley felt a throbbing pain in the back of her head and instead of lying on a table, she was comfortably tucked in beneath a blanket on a couch. She appeared to be in a lounge. There was a fireplace parallel to the couch she was lying on. Her head turned at the sound of a door opening and a man walked into the room. She could tell he was of an older generation based on his silver grey hair. He wore glasses and he carefully smiled as he approached her. "Who are you?" Harley asked and sat up so that she could defend herself if needed. She didn't trust strangers. "Where am I?" The man seemed to mean her no harm and stopped by the other end of the couch where her feet lay.

"It's all right," he said and she heard that he spoke with a British accent. "You are safe here. My name is Alfred Pennyworth and you are currently at Wayne Manor." Harley calmed down a little. He seemed to be telling the truth. "I am Mr. Wayne's butler," Alfred went on explaining the situation.

"Who is Mr. Wayne?" That's right. She didn't know that either.

"Um, Bruce Wayne is the owner of Wayne Enterprises here in Gotham. He agreed to take you in until you're well again."

"That I have." The person in question came into view and Harley could take a good look at him. As soon as her eyes fell on him, there was one word that popped into her head; _handsome._ He had dark hair, was tall and muscular and he wore a kind smile on his lips. "I see our guest is awake," he said and looked to her. His eyes were so inviting and soothing. She didn't know why, but he was just the perfect definition of a father figure. He made his way over to her and extended his hand. "Hi, I'm Bruce Wayne." Harley trusted him and let him shake her hand.

"Harley Quinn."

"I understand you must be very confused, but you can rest assured that we're going to take good care of you. Isn't that right, Alfred?" He turned to the older man who responded with a nod of his head.

"Certainly, Master Wayne."

"Alfred, why don't you go and make Harley a cup of hot cocoa? I'm sure it will make her feel better."

"Right away, sir."

When Alfred had left the room Bruce asked if he could have a seat on the couch. Harley said it was alright with her and so she pulled her knees up to let him sit down with her. "You see," he started, "a friend of mine asked me to keep you here while he tries to find an antidote that can…" Bruce paused, thinking of what word was best. "…bring you back to normal." _Normal._ It was a big, fat lie. Suddenly, Harley seemed scared.

"An antidote? You mean, I'm sick? Do I have a disease? Is it contagious?" She tried to pull back a little further, afraid that she would infect him. He looked down and chuckled.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "No, you're fine. It's just that there is a drug in your system. A drug that has clouded all of your memories, leaving a blank space in your head and there are some side effects to it. That's why, sometimes, your body temperature changes and one moment you can be ice cold and in the next you may have a fever. But my friend is looking for a way to get that drug out of your system and then, hopefully, you will have your memories back." Harley remained silent for a moment and they looked into each other's eyes. Bruce noticed that hers were starting to tear up.

"Thank you for telling me," she whispered. She had never thanked him before. At least not while being sincere. He smiled.

"You're welcome."

* * *

 **A/N: I am pleased to say I finished another chapter! Once again, I'm very sorry for the slow updates, but you all know why I can't update as frequently as I used to and I hope you understand that. Also, I hope you liked this chapter. No Mr. J unfortunately, but he will go on his own adventure in the next chapter. ;)**


	10. Under Pressure

With Harley out of the house, Joker didn't have to worry that much about her. He knew she was safe with the Bat and now he could focus on finding Black Mask instead. He had no idea what he would do to him once he _did_ find him, but it would have to be something spectacularly painful.

When they got back to the hideout last night, Joker had been feeling unusually tired and fell asleep on Harley's side of the bed. He didn't wake up until late in the morning and he could tell it was late in the morning because he had forgotten to draw the curtains and now the bright sun was giving him a headache where he lay. With a groan, he forced himself out of bed and had a quick shower. Perhaps it would make the headache go away.

When he got down to the kitchen, he saw that it was already past noon. Jonny was having a bagel he had picked up from a bakery and drinking coffee. "Mornin', boss," he said as Joker sat down by the table and grabbed the takeaway paper bag from the bakery to have a look inside. He slipped his chalk white hand into the bag and grabbed a bagel of his own. He would have had coffee if it wasn't for the fact that the espresso machine was still missing. If Harley really never went to Ivy, he had no idea where it could be. Oh well, he thought, it's not like we have to pay for a new one anyway. Jonny suddenly interrupted his thoughts. "Boss, I have something here that you might find interesting." Joker stared unblinkingly as his employee dug a hand into the pocket of his jacket and pulled out a note with scribbles on.

"Don't get my hopes up now, Jonny boy," Joker warned, but was curious nonetheless and looked down at the crumpled piece of paper.

"Do you remember the driver from the night we picked Harley up?" Jonny asked.

"What about him?" Jonny tapped his finger on a name that was on the note. _Gary Winslow._

"That's him. I saw him this morning when I went to the bakery. I wasn't able to follow him in his car, but I got the registration and the internet did the rest for me." Indeed, the note contained much more than a silly name and a registration number. There was an address too and apparently this Gary fellow didn't live alone.

"Do you think we should pay him a visit?" Joker asked. Jonny didn't tell his boss, but he had missed that mischievous glint that was now evident in his eyes.

* * *

 _NINE DAYS AGO_

Harley had been locked inside a small guest room in the basement with nothing more than a tiny bed and a dying plant inside. _Pammy would not like that._ There was a connecting bathroom as well, but there was no shower. Even if it was in the middle of the night, Harley refused to go to sleep. She had to get out of there. The question was how. There was a single window near the ceiling, but of course it was too small to even fit one's head through. Looking out, she could see that it had started to rain. And then she felt the cramps coming back. She put both hands over her stomach and cursed. "Dammit, not now!" The pain was making it hard to think and the only thing she _could_ think of was to scream. She went up to the door and started banging on it and shouting in hopes that someone would come to her.

After about four minutes of banging and shouting, she heard footsteps coming her way. From the other side, they told her to shut up and back away from the door. She did as told and one of Black Mask's goons entered, pointing his gun at her. "The hell do you want?" he asked and she explained the situation. He seemed slightly uncomfortable about it and when she was done talking, he simply left and locked the door again. Harley tried to stop him and called for him to open the door this instant, but he didn't come back. Instead of banging her fists against the door, she used her head and then fell down onto the bed.

Another four minutes passed and Harley heard the key unlocking the door. She looked up from the bed, expecting to see the goon, but it was the woman from Black Mask's office. Without a word, she closed the door behind her and stepped up to the bed. She had a small bag with a zipper in her hand and gave it to Harley, who only stared at the woman in glasses. She stared right back. Not a word came from her, but she didn't leave, so Harley gathered she wanted her to unzip the bag and have a look at the contents. So that's exactly what she did. Turning it upside down, the items inside plopped down onto the bed. There were several tampons and some ibuprofen as well. The woman had also been kind enough to provide her with a chocolate bar. Harley didn't know what she had expected, but it certainly wasn't this. She looked to the woman again and thanked her.

"You're welcome," the woman said and turned on her heel. Harley heard the door locking again and she didn't waste one moment to unwrap the chocolate and swallow down some ibuprofen along with it. She saved most of the chocolate for later, though. _I guess I could make an escape plan in the morning._

* * *

 _PRESENT DAY_

Gary Winslow ascended the stairs leading up to his apartment on the third floor. It was late and he was tired after a pretty rough day at work. Black Mask was not the ideal employer, but at least you got paid well for whatever he would have you do and money was something Gary desperately needed. He wanted to make a better life, not just for himself, but for his girlfriend too. _God bless her soul._ She had told him over the phone that she would have dinner ready by the time he got home.

He opened the front door and announced his return. "Babe, I'm home." He took off his leather jacket and put it up on a coat-hanger, but there was no response from his girl. "Babe?" he called out. Still no answer. That was strange. She always came up to greet him whenever he got back home. "Angela?" he called again, using her name this time and he headed for the kitchen. He couldn't smell any food either, which was also strange since she had told him dinner would be ready. "Angie?"

 _No._

Gary stopped right in the opening to the small kitchen, eyes widened in horror at the sight in front of him. Angela was seated at the table, tied down to her chair with a piece of duct tape covering her mouth. He could tell she had been crying and her eyes were starting to water once more as soon as he stepped into her view. She said his name, but the sound came out muffled and incomprehensible. However, the worst part was who was standing right behind her with his hands on her shoulders. The Joker smiled. "Gary, ol' pal! I was just wondering when you'd show up!" Gary reached for the gun in his back pocket, but Jonny, who was also there, beat him to it. He aimed his Glock 19 at Gary, who put his hands up and Jonny walked over to him, still holding him at gun-point and took away his weapon.

"The hell are you doing here?" Gary snapped at them. Joker shook his head and tsk-d.

"Such hostility. You should teach him some manners," he said to Angela, leaning down closer to her face and she shied away from him as far as she could.

" _Leave her alone!_ " Gary never really admitted it, but Angela meant more to him than anything in the whole world. Besides, she was innocent. She didn't deserve any of this. Joker complied and stepped back.

"Relax, Gary. I get it, you're tired and hungry, so naturally you're a little fussy. Dinner isn't quite ready yet though, we still need to roast the steak." There was a bag on the floor next to the Joker's feet. He bent down, zipped it open and withdrew a small bundle of dynamite with a digital timer attached to it. Gary gasped and he started sweating. Angela tried to break free when the Joker placed the bomb on the table, but it was impossible for her to do a thing. She looked into Gary's eyes, pleading him to do something and it pained him so much. Now he wished he had never started working for Black Mask at all. Joker pressed a button and the timer was counting down from… _Seven minutes?!_ "As you can see, there's plenty of time for you to take a bath and clean yourself up before supper," Joker said and made his way over to Gary. "It's all prepared for ya, come on." He grabbed Gary's arm and pushed him forward, leading him into the bathroom where the tub was waiting. It was filled with water and Gary understood what was coming.

He was forcefully pushed down onto the floor and the Joker removed his shirt, not wanting to get it wet. "Here's the deal…" His tone had changed completely and was no longer chipper and inviting, but dark and menacing. Gary could see it in his eyes too. "Before the following six minutes are up, you're going to tell me where to find your boss. _Or else…_ there's going to be _plenty_ of steak for everyone. Got it?" He didn't give Gary a chance to answer before he pressed his head down into the water. He struggled and tried to break free from the Joker's grip on his neck. His attempt was futile. After a while, his head was brought back up again and Gary coughed. Without warning, he was soon pushed down again and it was becoming more and more stressful. He couldn't think straight. All he could focus on was holding his breath and putting all his energy into fighting. He came to the surface again and inhaled sharply, desperate for oxygen."Now," Joker said, "is there something you want to tell me?" When Gary didn't do anything but repeatedly inhale and exhale, Joker decided to go one more round, a little shorter this time. He pulled him back up. "How about now?" Gary shook his head.

" _Please_ ," he panted. "Let her go."

"What? You want to take another dip? All right then." Joker thought he had made the rules clear. The only way for his girl to survive was if Gary told him the location of Black Mask. When he pulled him up again, Joker let Gary get a good amount of oxygen so he had a chance to speak.

"He's – he's in East End! At Cape Carmine!" _That's more like it._

"Well, how will I know if you're telling the truth? Guess I'll just have to put you under some more pressure." At least this time Gary inhaled a breath before going back into the water. When he resurfaced, Joker called to Jonny over his shoulder.

"Hey Jonny, I'm starving! How long on that steak?"

"One minute," Jonny called back, loud and clear enough for Gary to hear and he panicked.

"He's at Cape Carmine, I swear!" he told the Joker. "You gotta believe me!" Joker pursed his painted lips.

"Hmm…" He dragged on his decision, just for the fun of it. "I believe you," he finally said and let go of Gary's neck. "Jonny, I'm not feeling for steak anymore. Let's go get Chinese instead." Jonny got the hint and disarmed the bomb, then joined his boss in the hallway.

Joker put his shirt back on while Gary hurried to untie Angela. Jonny held out the purple coat and helped his boss put it on. "Adios, Gary!" Joker called before leaving the flat in hysterical laughter. When they got back into the car, Joker asked Jonny to hand over the detonator. _I appreciate your help Gary, but it doesn't make up for the fact that you helped erase my dear Harley's memories._ He pressed the button and not too many seconds later, the third floor lit up. He watched the flames and the smoke rise into the night sky and howled with laughter as they drove back home. For just a moment, the Joker was a happy man again.

* * *

 **A/N: I updated much sooner than I had hoped! Which is a good thing I suppose. I know a lot of you were curious about what J would be up to in this chapter. So here you go! I hope it's not confusing when I'm jumping back and forth in time. If you have a problem with that, I regret to say that I will continue doing that for quite some more chapters. We still need to know what exactly happend to Harley. On another note, I've had to do quite a lot of reasearch for this story. For example, I've been looking up facts and trivia and maps of places in Gotham and of course the character of Black Mask since I really don't know that much about him. The only thing I've seen him in is the animated movie Under The Red Hood. Anyway, hope you liked seeing Joker's more sinister side for a change. ;)**


	11. Makeover

Bruce didn't hear Alfred entering the Batcave and jumped slightly when he placed the breakfast tray down next to him. He had been too lost in thought to notice. "I suppose I should let you know that Ms. Quinn is currently having her breakfast in the kitchen upstairs," Alfred said and watched Bruce help himself to a cup of coffee. There was not a word from him. "Are you getting anywhere with the test results?" Finally, Bruce looked up and fixed his eyes on the screen again.

"I think so, but it's taking some time." He took a sip. "I'm trying to identify all of the substances used in the drug. I might have to take another blood sample."

"Forgive me for saying so," Alfred started carefully. "But are you sure you want to help her remember? I, for one, quite prefer her this way." Bruce sighed and wished that he could say the same.

"I would agree with you Alfred if it wasn't for the fact that the Joker _doesn't_." He paused and thought back on the previous night. "You didn't see the look on his face. Like it or not, but Harley is the only thing in this world that actually brings out what little bit of humanity there is left in him. If she doesn't remember, then… there's no telling what he will do." Alfred gave a simple nod and joined Bruce in looking at the screen.

"So, what does this drug actually do?" he asked. "How is it affecting her?"

"The drug is clouding her memories of who she is," Bruce explained. "But her knowledge base is still intact, meaning that she doesn't have to relearn anything that she already knows. That's why she knows how to talk etcetera."

"So you mean that if we were to give her a gun… She would know how to use it?" Bruce noticed the look of concern in Alfred's eyes. He hadn't thought about that until now. He shrugged.

"Well, she would need reminding I'd wager, but yes, she'd be a natural at it." Alfred didn't want to think about it and decided to change the subject.

"Do you have anything to wear this evening?" _Shit. That's tonight._ There would be a charity event at City Hall and Bruce was one of the benefactors. If he could call the whole thing off, he would, but this was one of the most important events of the year and it had taken months of planning. He groaned in response and that was all Alfred needed. "Then may I suggest you take Ms. Quinn out shopping today? She will inevitably be in need of some other garments since she' going to stay with us for some time." The look he received from Bruce was not unexpected.

"Yeah, sure Alfred, I'll go out shopping with one of the most wanted women in the country. What could possibly go wrong?" Alfred merely smiled and walked over to where Batgirl's equipment was kept. As a matter of fact, she had a couple of wigs lying around to use on occasions such as this. He picked up a bobbed brown wig and showed it to Bruce.

"Perhaps a makeover will do the trick?"

Wigs weren't the only things Barbara kept in the Batcave. There was makeup too and they brought it with them upstairs to ask Harley what she thought. At first, she was hesitant, but then agreed that some fresh air might do her good. Once the wig was on and her tattoos were covered up, she looked like a whole new person. Looking in the mirror, she smiled. The tattoos were actually gone. Well, the ones on her face anyway. "Here," Bruce said and handed her a pair of sunglasses. "Just in case."

* * *

While they were out and about, Bruce couldn't keep himself from making sure that nobody recognized her, although maybe he should have worried more about people recognizing _him_. He was sure that there were paparazzi lurking behind every corner. Suddenly, every possible headline popped into his head and that only made him even more anxious to get into a store as quickly as possible. Without asking her permission, he pushed Harley inside the nearest shop and, in an instant, regretted his hasty action. He was looking at none other than Veronica Vreeland: a pretty redhead who took quite a liking to him and who also happened to have been one of Harley's many victims, but that was another story. He knew that Harley wouldn't recognize Veronica. The question was if Veronica would recognize Harley. Veronica beamed at Bruce and didn't waste one second to throw herself at him. "Brucie!" She gave him a light peck on the cheek. "What a pleasant surprise! What are you doing here?"

"Well, truth be told, I needed something extra smart to wear for tonight."

"Really? What a coincidence, so did I!" She held up two dresses she was carrying in her hands. "What do you think? Will one of these do?" Bruce smiled.

"I'm sure they will." Harley was awkwardly standing by and she started panicking when Veronica turned to her.

"And who is this?" she asked, genuinely wanting to know, even if there was a hint of jealousy in her voice. Luckily, Harley didn't have to say anything.

"This is Melanie," Bruce said and put his arm around her. It felt strange. "A friend of the family." Veronica extended her hand.

"Nice to meet you Melanie, I'm Veronica. Bruce and I are very good friends."

"Nice to meet you too," Harley replied politely and adjusted her sunglasses, which Veronica took notice of.

"Dear, why are you still wearing your sunglasses? I think it's safe to take them off now." Harley was about to, but Bruce stopped her.

"No, she's very sensitive to light," he lied and Harley played along.

"Yeah," she said. "Very sensitive." Veronica nodded.

"I understand." Bruce relaxed upon hearing her words. He simply couldn't risk Veronica recognizing Harley. "Well, what do you say Bruce? Would you like some expert help in finding the right outfit?" How could he say no? Not that he ever really had a choice as he was literally dragged away to the men's department. Harley chuckled to herself and started looking for clothes of her own. There was a wide range to choose from and Harley couldn't stop comparing every single item with the ones she had found in her supposed wardrobe back at the Joker's place. These clothes were far more appealing to her and she went to try them on in the fitting room.

Satisfied with her selection, she went to find Bruce which proved to be an easy task. Veronica was standing right outside the door to one of the fitting rooms, talking to Bruce. "And when you're done, I have some more ties here for you to try on." In the same moment, Harley realized she wasn't wearing her sunglasses and hurried to fish them up from her pocket before Veronica could see her. "Oh, there you are!" Veronica said as Harley walked up to her. "Did you find anything?"

"Oh yeah," Harley said and showed Veronica her findings. Veronica tilted her head to the side and Harley thought she was looking at the clothes, but she was looking at her face.

"This probably sounds crazy, but you seem so familiar to me." Harley tensed up and started panicking. If she recognized her, she would call the cops. "There's just something about your voice." Bruce heard their conversation and decided to interrupt before things escalated. He opened the door and let the women have a look at him. He wore a grey suit with silver buttons on the jacket. "Brucie, that's _perfect_!" Veronica exclaimed, her attention now diverted and Harley could breathe out. "Here, I have just the right tie for you." And she offered to tie it for him, oblivious to the look he was exchanging with Harley. _It's okay._

When they finally got out of the shop and headed back to where Alfred was waiting in the car, Bruce noticed that Harley was shaking. "You okay?" he asked.

"Yeah," she reassured. "I just wasn't prepared for that. I-I didn't know what to say. What if she had recognized me?"

"Well, thankfully she didn't. But when I heard her talking to you, I was afraid she would. You see, Veronica… Well, you…" Somehow it was so hard for him to say it. Did she really need to know?

"What?" Looking at her, he saw a woman who could never hurt anyone and at the same time… he did. Letting go of the past was not easy. Harley Quinn was a murderer. A psychotic, maniacal freak who took pleasure in other's misfortune. Now, Harley Quinn had _become_ a victim of misfortune and that changed a lot of things. She didn't deserve to hear the horrid truth. But he knew she wanted to. He took a deep breath, bracing himself.

"Some time ago, when you could still remember who you were, you kidnapped Veronica." Bruce was surprised when he didn't receive a reaction from her. She just stared ahead as they walked down the street. "Harley?" he said tentatively.

"Why am I such a horrible person?" He barely heard her question, but he recognized it all too well. He had asked himself the same thing for a long time now. How did it happen? A beautiful young woman like her throwing her life away for someone so cruel and dangerous. It was an obsession. An addiction.

"I can't say I know that much about it, but… love tends to make people do crazy things." Harley stopped in her tracks and Bruce knew he had said something wrong. She looked up at him and even though he couldn't see her eyes, he could swear they were glaring at him.

"That's what everyone's been telling me," she said, her voice now filled with anger. "That I'm in love with him. _How is that even possible?!_ " Bruce tried to calm her down, because now people were staring as they walked by.

"I can't tell you that," he said. "I don't have the answer. The only person who does is _you_." Tears rolled down her face and without warning, she threw her arms around him and started sobbing. Unprepared for it, Bruce was unsure of what to do. There was only one thing he could think of. Placing his arms around her, he whispered that it would all be okay. They would fix this. Somehow.

* * *

 **A/N: I'm not going to lie, this is probably the worst chapter yet. I hate it so much. Don't ask me why, there's just nothing I like about it. I'm low on inspiration right now, but still I forced myself to sit down and write this chapter for you guys. I hope the next one will be much better.**


	12. Tremble and Fall

Bruce studied himself in the mirror and adjusted his tie. The suit Veronica had picked out for him fit like a glove. Looking down at his watch, he acknowledged that it was almost seven o'clock. He would be a little late, but it didn't matter. Bruce Wayne could afford it. He would be his own designated driver for the night as well, since Alfred needed to stay with Harley. At least she seemed to feel at ease at Wayne Manor. She said it was very homey. Bruce found her and Alfred in the kitchen, preparing dinner together. He was surprised that Alfred had let her chop the onions, but she seemed to be handling the knife in her hand with responsibility and ease. She wore a big smile on her face as she chopped away. The wig was gone, but her makeup was still on, covering up her tattoos. He could understand why she never washed it off. Looking at her like this, it was as if all she ever knew was normal.

Bruce cleared his throat and got their attention. He made a twirl for them. "How do I look?"

"Impeccable, as always," Alfred said in his most British way. Harley took a moment to fully scrutinize him before giving an answer.

"You look very handsome," she said and beamed at him. It felt so strange and he almost blushed at the compliment. She was not supposed to say that to him.

"Thank you. Well, I'd better be off. Don't wait up," he added with a boyish wink and Harley laughed. _I should not have said that._

* * *

 _EIGHT DAYS AGO_

Harley woke up freezing. The basement was cold and the quilt covering her body was quite thin. The pillow wasn't very comfortable either. Compared to her own bed back home, this was like sleeping on a bag of straw. She sat up and wrapped the quilt around her body, like a cocoon. Her stomach started making noises and that's when she knew she was hungry as well. Were they going to serve her breakfast or was Black Mask planning on starving her? No, she told herself. If he wanted to kill her, he would have done it already. She remembered the chocolate the woman had given her and took a bite out of the bar. Never before had chocolate tasted so good.

It didn't take long though until the door opened and the woman entered once more, carrying a tray in her hands. She stopped by the foot of the bed and just stared at Harley who had her mouth full of chocolate. Harley put the bar down, gathering that the woman was waiting for her to finish and receive the tray. "Breakfast," she said and Harley took the tray and placed it in her lap. There was a small glass of orange juice and a simple triangle shaped sandwich with ham and cheese. _Could be worse, I suppose._ The woman turned to leave, but Harley stopped her. "Hang on. What's your name?"

"You may call me Ms. Li." She didn't even smile. She reminded Harley of Katana. Always focused on the task at hand and never had time for any fun. _How sad._

"And you can call me Harley. Everyone does." A curt nod and that was all before she left and Harley heard the familiar sound of the door locking. She had gotten used to it now. Wasting not a second longer, she took a huge bite out of her sandwich and it actually wasn't that bad. The only complaint she had was that it only took her five more bites before it was gone.

No more than an hour later, Harley had her second and third visitor for the day, but simply paying a visit was not what they had in mind. The two men brought in a chair with them and forced her to sit down on it. To make sure she stayed there, they tied her down with rope which chafed against her cold skin. "Is this any way to treat a lady?" she asked and glared at both of them. No one answered her. "Hey, I'm talking to you!" she raised her voice and tried breaking free of her bonds, but it only hurt.

"Shut up, will you?" the taller of the two said. Harley laughed.

"Or what? You'll make me? Gag me or cut my tongue off?" His hands clenched into fists and he grabbed her by the hair, pulling her head back to look into his face. Bad move.

"Listen, you little –" A mouthful of spit hit him right in the left eye and he wiped it away in disgust while Harley continued laughing. Then, a third figure appeared by the door and Harley was looking up at the man responsible for her capture. Black Mask walked in and did not seem very happy.

"You might think this is a laughing matter, but you will soon find that it's far from it." He dug his hand into the pocket of his stylish jacket and took out a small syringe filled with a yellowish liquid. The mere sight of it was enough to make her nauseous.

"Oh no," she said and started squirming in her seat. "Oh no you don't. I don't know if anyone's told you, but I hate shots!"

"Too bad for you," he said and, without a warning, grabbed her right arm and dug the needle into it. Harley looked away and screamed. She didn't know what hurt more. The shot or Black Mask's sharp nails digging into her skin. "Because this will be the first of many," he finished. When he let go and the needle was out, Harley could look again and there was some blood coming out of the small prick hole where it had been buried. All she wanted to do was spit him in the face too, but in just a matter of seconds, her vision was starting to blur and she felt dizzy.

"What the hell was that?" she asked.

"Just a little taste of what's to come. Boys, why don't you help put Harley to bed? She doesn't look very well." They did as told and Harley started putting up a fight, but she quickly realized that any kind of effort she made only worsened the dizziness. All of a sudden she felt so tired and her vision was beginning to fade.

Black Mask reached his office just in time to hear the vibration of a cell phone on his desk. It was Harley's phone. He picked it up and saw that a message had been delivered. The message was from someone called "Puddin'" and he didn't have to guess three times to know who it was.

 _Where are you?_

He was tempted to answer, but he thought better of it. Not quite yet. All in good time.

* * *

 _PRESENT DAY_

After dinner, Harley insisted upon helping Alfred with the dishes and despite his protests, she ended up convincing him either way, stating that everyone needs help every once in a while. It was all good and well until Harley felt her hand trembling and the plate she was holding dropped to the floor, shattering into pieces and causing Alfred to jump. Her heart was racing fast and the trembling only got worse. "Ms. Quinn, are you all right?" Alfred asked, alarmed by the sight of her trembling. He reached out to touch her, but she retreated and ran away. Alfred followed her, calling her name, but she couldn't hear him. She was in a state of panic and her mind was all a mess. She stopped in front of a mirror and noticed just how much she was trembling. Then she saw the reflection of her face and for a split second, the image morphed and she was looking at a pale man with green hair and red lips. He was smiling back at her. _Joker. Mr. J._ She closed her eyes and screamed at the top of her lungs. What was going on? She collapsed onto the floor and Alfred was there in a heartbeat to help her back up, but that was easier said than done. Feeling himself panic, he reached for the phone.

Bruce was socializing with the crowd and having not such a bad time when Alfred made the call. Apparently, Harley was in some state of shock and kept repeating the Joker's name over and over again. This was not good. He needed to find an antidote. And fast.

* * *

 **A/N: And I'm back with another chapter! Hopefully it's a little better than the last one, but I'm not very pleased with this one either. I don't know, it feels a little rushed. Is it rushed? I just have to let you all know how much I appreciate your reviews! I try to reply to all of them and I wish I could reply to all you guest reviewers as well because I want you to know how much it means to hear your words of encouragement! No Joker in this chapter either, I'm afraid, but what do you think? Is Harley starting to remember?**


	13. Getting the Right Answers

Bruce hurried back home and almost ran over a fire hydrant when he made a sharp turn. Bursting through the front door, he called for his butler and trusty friend. Alfred called from another room and Bruce followed the sound of his voice. What he saw was enough to make his skin crawl. Alfred was trying to hold a violently shaking Harley down to the floor. Her eyes kept twitching and beads of sweat ran down her forehead, washing away the makeup and revealing the pale skin beneath. "About bloody time," Alfred said, acknowledging his master's return. Bruce disregarded of the irritated tone and went down on his knees to take over. He told Alfred to go get a tranquilizer while he looked after Harley. She didn't even seem to notice someone else was now holding her down. Every now and again, one single word came out of her mouth. _Joker._ Bruce wondered if she was starting to remember. Three minutes later, Alfred came back and helped Bruce keep Harley's shaking arm steady long enough for him to give her the sedatives. Slowly, her shaking abated and her twitching eyes closed shut. When she relaxed under his touch, Bruce let go of her arms and wiped his brow with a sigh of exhaustion and relief.

"What's happening to her?" Alfred asked and he sounded genuinely concerned for her. Bruce could only take a guess.

"Whatever they injected in her must be working like any other drug. When it starts wearing off, you crave more and if you don't get it…" He gestured to the limp body before them. "This happens," he finished.

"Looks like we have some work to do." They put Harley to bed and started right away.

* * *

 _Anger. She was angry. Angry and desperate. The wind brushed against her face and through her hair. She was on the chase. Chasing after_ him _. He blatantly ignored her. Then she would_ make _him see her. She would force him to confront her. She stopped first. Then him. Her hands slammed down on the hood of the car. "You're not leaving me!" Finally, he stepped out of the car. "I have proved I love you, just accept it!"_

" _I am not someone who is loved."_

" _My heart scares you and a gun doesn't?"_

" _If you weren't so crazy, I'd think you were insane." His last words echoed in her mind._

 _It was a far way down and looking into the vat of bubbling liquid only made her dizzy. Or maybe the dizziness was_ his _doing? "Would you live for me?"_

" _Yes."_

" _Desire becomes surrender, surrender becomes…_ power. _" His voice was but a whisper, but still it held such authority. "Do you want this?"_

" _I do."_

 _I do._

 _I do._

 _Warm lips brushed hers and she opened her eyes._

Harley shot up in bed, cold sweat running down her back and forehead. She gasped for air. Where had those images come from? They were so foreign and yet so familiar. _He_ had been in her dream. The one man she absolutely didn't want to have anything to do with. But in her dream, her feelings had been the complete opposite. She wanted him. Craved and _desired_ him. More than anything else. She couldn't recall ever having such an intense and intimate dream before. His touch had been so warm and tender. Nothing like how she saw him now. Cold and cruel. Except for when he looked at her. There were moments when he seemed almost… _normal._ Like there was something human deep down within. Harley shook her head and put that thought aside. Right now, she was more concerned about her whereabouts. Obviously, she was in a bed, but how had she ended up there? She couldn't remember ever going to bed. In fact, it was hard to remember anything at all. The last thing she _could_ recall was helping Alfred with the dishes. She looked out the window and saw nothing but a starry sky. Contemplating whether she should go back to sleep or not, eventually she decided it was a good idea. It was no doubt in the middle of the night and she shivered from being cold. In her dream, she had felt a warmth like never before. Lying back down and closing her eyes, she hoped she wouldn't wake up again for a long time.

* * *

 _SEVEN DAYS AGO_

If it wasn't for the fact that she knew she wasn't pregnant, Harley would have thought she had morning sickness. Feeling lightheaded and queasy, she raised herself up in bed with a groan. Putting the back of her hand against her forehead, she felt it was warm. She shuddered and reached for the quilt, but just as soon as she wrapped it around her bare shoulders, she shrugged it off and moved away from it as if it were vermin of some kind. She felt both warm and cold at the same time. When her feet touched the floor, she was only inches away from stepping on a sandwich. Someone had brought her another breakfast tray while she was asleep. There was also a note on the tray. Harley gingerly picked it up. The handwriting was neat and italicized.

 _Eat up. You'll be needing it._

No signature was provided, so she couldn't tell who it was from, but that did not concern her much. What _did_ concern her was how she was going to force that sandwich down her throat. Her appetite was long lost.

And it would only get worse from here.

* * *

 _PRESENT DAY_

At the break of dawn, two wayward souls were wide awake in the city. Actually, they had both been awake for the entirety of the night. The first one had been searching for answers that seemed far out of reach and the second one had been planning his long overdue revenge. The son of Gotham headed to his master suite to finally catch some sleep while the Clown Prince of Crime simultaneously let his eyelids close shut. He fell asleep with a smile covering his features, knowing that when he woke up, it would be time to play. He purred in his sleep, dreaming of a black skull served on a silver platter.

* * *

Harley had her wish granted and remained fast asleep until late in the morning. When she woke, she desired nothing more than to take a shower. Tired and a little lightheaded, it took a while to get herself out of bed and into the shower. The water was warm and refreshing. As she stood there under the stream, it was hard not to look down at her naked body and observe the permanent ink. No matter how long she let the water run, it never washed away. One tattoo in particular caught her attention. It was placed high up on her left thigh. _I'll wait forever._ Images flashed before her eyes and emotions welled up inside.

 _All around her there were bars and even beyond those bars, there was a fence. She was a bird in a cage. There was no one in the room but her. She didn't mind being alone. She relished in the loneliness. When it came to this place, being alone was far better than having company. In this place, company meant torture. Still, that didn't mean she wanted to be alone forever. She couldn't imagine a life without him. Etching the words into her thigh, she took pleasure in the pain, knowing that it would all be over soon. He would come for her and she could wait a lifetime._

Suddenly the shower felt so small. Like a cage. She turned the water off and wrapped the towel around her, desperate to get out. She was met by her own reflection in the mirror and her face was once more white. All these images made her so confused. They all led back to him one way or another. Everyone kept saying that he meant something to her and she was beginning to think that maybe they were right.

* * *

Bruce had his breakfast well after noon. According to Alfred, Harley had come down about an hour ago to have some herself and fortunately, she seemed to feel a little better. But she was far from well. "I stayed up all night and I've still got nothing," Bruce said and sipped his coffee. The newspaper laid spread open by his propped up elbow. He skimmed through an article about an apartment building which had been blown up last night in central Gotham. Terrible things happened all the time in the city, but not everyone was capable of performing such deeds. He did know someone who had a penchant for blowing things up though and that's when he made his mind up. Harley's only chance was if he found Black Mask and the Joker was looking for him right now. Bruce had to get to the apartment.

* * *

The area had been closed off by the GCPD, but that had never stopped the Batman before and it certainly didn't keep the rest of the residents in the area from living there. The people he confronted had been terrified as he'd stepped out of the shadows to reveal himself, but they were more than willing to help. It didn't take long for him to find out who had lived in the apartment and where they worked. No one could give him a specified location, but East End was a start at least and he knew someone who was well familiar with the area.

* * *

Selina Kyle watched from the rooftops near Cape Carmine as strangers below went about their business. She waited for something to happen. She'd take anything, really. A simple mugging would do. She was bored and hungry for some excitement, but thus far, the night had nothing to offer. Nothing to dig her claws in. _What a shame._ Then, her ears caught the sound of tires against asphalt. A black SUV followed by a van pulled up on the street right below her and parked next to the sidewalk. The driver of the SUV got out and it was hard to tell from this high above, but he seemed familiar somehow. It was when the passenger in the front seat got out that everything clicked. There was only one man in town who had green hair. Naturally, Selena got curious and gracefully made her way down the fire escape.

The Joker donned his favorite purple coat over his bare chest and black, skin tight leather pants. He could smell the scent of the water that carried itself in the air. How he despised it. He couldn't wait to get this all over with. The rest of his crew assembled, waiting for his orders. A purring sound was heard, but it didn't come from their boss. Everyone's heads turned to see a slender figure coming their way. Her black cat suit licked her feminine curves and the majority of the gathering could not keep their eyes from wandering down to her generously exposed cleavage. Selina spread her feet apart and rested her hands on her hips. "How nice of you to drop by," she said, looking directly at Joker. He was the only one that mattered to her. "What brings me the honor?" His mouth widened into a grin and faint laughter was heard.

"That's hardly any of your business, kitty cat," he said, still smiling at her. "I wouldn't be so curious if I were you." Selina didn't know whether to take that as a warning or not. In response, she merely shrugged.

"What can I say? It's in my nature." She took the opportunity to scan through the crowd and frowned when there was no Harley in sight. "And where's your precious queen?" she asked and Joker mistook her sincere interest for mocking. Instantly, his smile was gone and in a flash, his hand had wrapped around her throat. Selina was unprepared and furrowed a brow at the expression on his face. Had she said something wrong?

"If you know where he is, you tell me _right now!_ " he barked into her face and Selina was reminded of why she didn't like him. Cats and dogs did not see eye to eye. Selina shook her head as much as she was able underneath his grip.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," she said truthfully. Joker tightened his grip for a second before letting go of her and taking a step back. Selina thought he was actually going to strangle her, but she was thankful he didn't. "Who is 'he'?" she asked. "Who are you looking for? And where's Harley? I thought she made it home." Joker froze and turned to face her once more. Clearly the Cat knew more than he did.

"What do you mean 'made it home'? Was she with you?" Selina nodded.

"Yeah, she came to my apartment after your… fight."

"Then the weed was telling the truth," Joker said, more to himself than anyone else, and thought back to when he had paid Ivy a visit. "You said you thought she made it home. When did she leave your place?" Selina's concern grew with every passing minute. Something was clearly not right and if the Joker didn't know what had happened, then it was bad.

"We went to a party the night after she came to me and at one point she told me she had to go to the bathroom. But she never came back." Joker snorted.

"What, so you assumed that she had gone back home?" Selina rolled her eyes.

"Of course not! I got worried and I started looking for her, but I couldn't find her. I tried calling, but she didn't answer and then I texted her. It wasn't until the day after that I got a reply. She said that she was back with you and I asked about her suitcase and the espresso machine, since they were still at my place. And still are," she added with some annoyance. "She said she would come back and get them soon."

" _Soon_ ," Joker repeated. "It's been, what, over a week since then. Is that your definition of 'soon'?"

"In all honesty," Selina said, "when it comes to Harley, there can be _multiple_ definitions." She was right. Joker pursed his painted lips and sighed.

"Point taken." There was a pause before Selina spoke up again.

"So who is it that you're looking for?"

"Why, the man who kidnapped Harley of course!" Joker said and was growing tired of this conversation. Selina in turn was growing tired of not getting any straight answers.

"If you know who it is, please go ahead and share with me and maybe I can help you." Joker knew that this was the Cat's home turf. She would undoubtedly make a good ally.

"Black Mask." As soon as the words left his mouth, her eyes sparked to life.

"Oh yeah, I know where to find him." Joker was about to answer, but someone else beat him to it.

"I was hoping you'd say that," a dark voice spoke from behind them.

* * *

 **A/N: I am laughing right now at how many horizontal lines I added in this chapter. But I felt it was necessary as to make the reading easier. Also, yay for a longer chapter and for the fact that I'm actually pleased with this one! I think it's one of my personal favorites, so I hope you'll like it too. Thank you all once again for your reviews! It gives me motivation to write new chapters so you can enjoy the story. I know I don't update as often as I used to, but that depends on a lot of things. College is the main thing, but focusing on my studies has seemed to pay off, because I'm doing good and now I have much less workload, so I should be able to write more often. Another reason for the late updates is lack of inspiration and the fact that I haven't got the rest of the story perfectly pieced together as I had in the beginning, so I need more time to really think through what the next step will be. Hope you understand that! After all, I don't want this story to end up as a let-down. :)**


	14. The Lion's Den

Selina and Joker turned to see none other than the Dark Knight stepping out of the shadows to join the group. Joker's men, including Jonny, raised their guns, but Joker motioned for them to put them down. "The hell are _you_ doing here?" he asked. "You have a job to do, remember?" Bruce walked up to stand with Selina who looked between the two men with a most bewildered expression.

"And what do you think I'm doing?" Bruce answered as if it was obvious. Joker rolled his eyes into the back of his head.

"Well, I assumed you'd only come to me if Harley had gotten her memories back. But seeing as she's not here, I doubt she has." Selina interrupted them at this new revelation.

"Wait, hold on a sec. Are you telling me Harley has lost her memories?" She looked up at Bruce for confirmation. He met her eyes and gave a nod.

"Yes. I'm afraid so."

"How did _that_ happen?" This time, she turned to Joker who was amazed by the fact that she hadn't put the pieces together.

"Remind me again who I'm looking for." The sarcasm was dripping. Selina frowned without giving him an answer.

"All right, I'll ask _him_." Feeling her cat eyes on him, Bruce began explaining the situation to the both of them.

"Black Mask injected her with some kind of drug and it's been clouding her memories, but I think they're starting to come back." Everyone present could see the Joker tense at these words, but he said nothing. "I think it's because the drug is starting to wear off, but as any other drug, she needs more of it to stay, in this case… _stabilized_ ," Bruce said in lack of a better word.

"What do you mean?" Joker hurried to ask and the aggression in his voice concealed his worry.

"I mean that without the drug, she'll have her memories back but she won't be feeling well. Just before, she was shaking as if she had a seizure or something and she was piping hot." Joker's chest heaved itself up and down with every controlled breath. He was trying hard not to lose it.

"So you're saying that no matter what, she'll never be back to normal again?"

"No, I might be able to create an antidote, but for that, I need the drug. All we can do is hope Black Mask still has some left." A grin spread across the clown's face as he was once more hopeful.

"Oh, I hope he has _lots_ left, because then I get to give him some of his own medicine." Bruce approached his arch enemy and towered over him.

"You'll do no such thing. I'm taking him to Blackgate." Joker threw his head back and laughed at the pitiful attempt at a threat.

"And why do you think I would ever listen to you?" Joker placed one hand on Bruce's shoulder for support and clutched his stomach with the other as he kept on laughing. "Are you sure you didn't get a dose of that drug yourself, because it seems you've forgotten that I don't live by any rules." His laughter died and his smile quickly faded. "He's going to pay and I will _personally_ see to it." Bruce knew it to be a promise. They only kept staring at each other until Selina put herself in between them.

"Not that I'm not amused by listening to your bickering, but if you want my help I suggest we start moving. I haven't got all night, you know." And with that, she started walking down the street, her hips swaying with every step. When she gathered that no one was following, she stopped and turned to wave them over. "Well, come on then!" Joker's goons looked to their boss for guidance. They had no problem following a woman, as Harley never shied away from every opportunity she got to boss them around, but Selina was not Harley, so they would follow their top leader. Joker was the first one to start walking and his crew followed suit. Bruce went to join Selina at the front and when he passed by Joker, a white hand grabbed his cape and he was forced to turn. There was a glint in Joker's eyes.

"I can tell why you like her."

* * *

 _THREE DAYS AGO_

On her second day locked up in the basement, Harley had had difficulties remembering what had happened during the last couple of days. They gave her another injection and on the third day, she couldn't remember the day of her birthday or what the name of her red haired friend was. She received injection after injection and each day someone came in to ask her a bunch of questions to which she didn't know the answer. Now, on the sixth day, she couldn't remember a damn thing. Everything was gone. Black Mask was thrilled. He hit "send" and delivered the message to the clown who had humiliated and robbed him. Revenge was a dish best served cold, but boy, did it taste sweet.

* * *

 _PRESENT DAY_

From what Harley understood, Bruce Wayne was a busy man. Once again it was her and Alfred left in the manor too big for only two people. She was thankful that nothing had happened during the day, but something clearly wasn't right. Something was going on with her, but she didn't know what. It was so frustrating, not knowing. Sometimes, her hands or other parts of her body would twitch and when evening came, she felt unusually tired. Too tired to even have anything to eat before she went to bed. Her appetite was lost. Alfred asked if there was anything he could do for her, but she politely declined his offer and went straight to her borrowed room. When she closed the door behind her, nausea and dizziness came over her like a tidal wave. She managed to get to the bed before collapsing onto it, the darkness consuming her.

 _Fear. Fear and… excitement. She was about to enter the lion's den. And she was his dinner. A fresh and raw piece of meat. The danger should have scared her off. Make her change her mind and turn back before it was too late. But she couldn't turn back. Not now. She had come too far._

 _She entered._

 _The beast watched her and remained completely still. She expected him to pounce at any moment and take her by surprise. But all he did was bare his teeth. Smiling. To her surprise, this lion did not roar._

 _He purred._

" _Dr. Harleen Quinzel. I've heard so much about you." His voice was soft and alluring. Like a moth drawn to a flame, she approached him, but not without caution. Something told her he might want to play with his food before eating it._

" _Really? What is it that you've heard?" She played it cool and tried to sound nonchalant. He purred again, his expression unreadable._

" _That you're someone who likes to get what she wants. Someone who is not afraid of breaking the rules now and again in order to get it. Someone like_ me _."_ He's trying to get inside your head, _her voice of reason said._ Don't let him. _Too late to turn back now._

" _So you're saying you think we're alike?"_

" _Yes, I think you and I are not so different. And when I heard your name, I couldn't stop thinking about it." She blushed._ Well done, Harley.

" _What's so special about my name?" she asked with a nervous laugh and he laughed along. The sound of it strangely put her at ease._

" _It has so much potential," he said. "Tell me, do your friends call you Harley?" She loved hearing him say that name. Slowly, she nodded. He smiled again, seemingly satisfied. "Then maybe you would let me call you Harley Quinn? It's a name that puts a smile on my face." He tilted his head to the side and she couldn't help but think it was somehow adorable. His smile was so genuine and it was only for her._

" _You mean like the harlequin?" she asked with a raised brow._

" _Precisely."_

 _How could she say no?_

Her eyes flew open and her body was cold and tense. The first day they met. She was beyond furious that the memory had been stolen from her. It was too precious. Something she'd never forget. _Puddin'._ She shot up in bed and breathed heavily, clutching her head as the dizziness took over. So many images flashed by. Memories once lost. His smile. His voice. His _everything. Her_ everything. The dizziness abruptly washed away and she could think clearly again. _A mirror._ As soon as her eyes landed on it, she hurried over to have a look. She could finally see her face again and recognize the soul inside. No more questions. She was overjoyed.

And furious.

 _Someone's going to pay._

Her current condition wasn't peachy keen, but when had that ever stopped the one and only Harley Quinn? She needed to escape this place. _Piece a' cake._

* * *

Bruce and Selina walked side by side, the rest of their company keeping up just a little behind. "Honestly," Selina said, "I never would have thought you'd help _him_ of all people." She glanced back to the Joker.

"Believe me," Bruce assured, "neither did I."

"So why did you?" He could tell she had wanted to ask that all night. He was just afraid that his answer wouldn't be good enough for her.

"I'm not entirely sure." Selina gave him what he could only define as "the look."

"I think you do. Spill it. I promise I won't tell," she added with perfect puppy dog eyes. He managed a small smile.

"Maybe because I know what it's like to lose a loved one. I know what that pain can do to a person." He paused, thinking of all the people he'd lost over the years, in more ways than one. Death was not the only way. He thought of Dick. His parents. Jason. "If it goes too far, you start inflicting the pain that has been inflicted upon you and you tell yourself that it's okay, because it's fair." Once, he had believed this to be true. The man who had killed his parents, for instance. There was nothing Bruce had wanted more than to give him some of his own medicine. He had wanted to kill him. But that was before he realized what justice was all about. And that was not it. Revenge was not the answer.

"Except, in _his_ case," Bruce went on and Selina knew he meant the Joker, "there never was any justice." Selina was about to say something when Bruce stopped short. Alfred was calling. Bruce told Selina to go on and he let the group pass by before he answered.

"Alfred, now is not a very good time."

" _I'm sorry to interrupt, but I think you want to hear this."_

He went as white as a sheet.

"She did _what?_ "

* * *

 **A/N: Cliffhanger! Bet you didn't think she'd remember already, am I right? The downside obviously is that she's still not well just because she has her memories back. If you're familiar with _Batman: The Animated Series_ and the _Arkham Origins_ videogame, you will have noticed the easter eggs from those in the dream. ;) Also, I have to mention that when Bruce tells Selina about why he decided to help the Joker, I was inspired by a quote from Jared Leto:**

 **"I think the Joker is inflicting upon the world the pain that has been inflicted upon him. In a sense, there's some sort of revenge there."**

 **And I think that is just spot on! But of course, the Joker doesn't do it for justice, because he believes there is no justice in the world. I wanted to make that clear.**

 **Thank you all for reading this story, but as you might expect by now, we are getting closer to the end. Hope you won't take it too harsh.**


	15. Entering the Nest

Harley had never driven a Mustang before. Bruce Wayne had plenty of cars in his larger than life garage, but out of all of them, the Mustang was the one that had spoken to her. It was all black and shiny. It would be a pity if she broke it. She smiled to herself behind the wheel. Maybe once she was done with it she'd do something as a way of thanks. Right now, she was speeding home. Home to her Puddin'. The very thought of him made her go dizzy. Or was it because of that damned drug? Harley couldn't wait to meet Black Mask again and give him a piece of her mind. Her knuckles whitened as she hugged the wheel tighter in her hands. _Almost there._

* * *

Bruce didn't care much that Harley had stolen one of his expensive cars. He was more worried about what she was going to do. He didn't even know if she had gotten all her memories back yet and neither did Alfred. There was also the matter of her current condition and he was certain she was not fit to be driving at the moment. Her safety was at great risk. It was best not to tell the others about it though, or all hell would break loose. He caught up with Selina again, who gave him a curious look. "What was that all about?"

"Nothing important," he replied without a shrug. Then she stopped and so did the rest of the gang.

"There." She pointed a gloved finger to an office building with a connected warehouse near the water. "That's his nest."

"Well, then what are we waiting for?" Joker said, impatient as ever. He had waited long enough.

"Hold it," Bruce said as Joker took a step forward. He stopped short and rolled his eyes.

"What?"

"We can't just barge in. If Black Mask finds out we're there, he might get a chance to escape. We need a plan." Selina raised her hand.

"I second that." Joker looked between the two and eventually let out a groan of defeat.

"All right, let's get this over with."

* * *

As soon as she got out of the car and pushed herself up on her feet, Harley's head started spinning and she was freezing. Her instinct was to lie down right then and there on the asphalt, but she fought that instinct. Soon, she could lie down in the arms of her sweet Mistah J and that would be all that mattered. The front door was unlocked and she flung it open with great force. "I'm back!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms up into the air with a big smile on her face. A couple of henchmen came into view and they both held their guns pointed at her. She frowned at this and lowered her arms. "Hey, is that any way to welcome a friend?" she questioned and they lowered their guns.

"Jesus Christ, Harley," the one to the right said and wiped his brow. "Are you trying to scare us to death?" His name was Bill and Harley recognized him by the piercing in his lower lip. She shrugged.

"I admit it would have been quite the accomplishment, but no." Looking around, she noticed just how empty the place was. There should be at least half a dozen lazy henchmen lounging about. "Where is everyone?" she asked.

"They're, um… They're looking for Black Mask." Bill avoided making eye contact. There was a long pause and no one knew what was going to happen next.

"Well then," Harley finally said and pushed past the guys to go upstairs. "Start the car!" she called over her shoulder. "We're going for a drive."

Her eyes fell on the bed. It was unmade, but looked nevertheless untouched. He hadn't been sleeping in it. She just knew it. Perhaps he hadn't slept at all? It made her sad thinking about it. She shook her head and got back to the task at hand. She needed to get out of the rags and slip into something more comfortable. At least as comfortable as you could get when your name was Harley Quinn and if she was about to reunite with her love, then she wanted to impress. It didn't take long for her to find what she was looking for. She remembered how only a few days ago she had frowned upon the garments in her wardrobe. A few days ago, she would have refused to put on the red and blue corset she was now holding in front of her. She got rid of the plain t-shirt and threw it out the window, never wanting to set her eyes on it ever again. "The other me had a really bad taste," she said to herself and squeezed into the corset. Then she found the hotpants that matched it and a pair of fishnets to wear underneath. For her feet, she dug out a pair of tall black boots, but to complete the look, she needed the finishing touch. She put her hair up in her signature pigtails, smudged some pink and blue eyeshadow around her eyes and painted her lips bright red. Her revolver was safely tucked away in a secret stash. The moment her fingers closed around it was the moment she felt alive again. She felt the excitement and the thrill. The bloodthirst. "I've missed you. Now let's go get that bastard."

* * *

Joker was so used to being in charge, it was hard for him to hand the reins over and to the _Bat_ of all people! Roughly half an hour was the time it took for them to agree on a solid plan. First, they approached the warehouse. Joker and his gang stayed out of sight to avoid stirring things up until Bruce and Selina had taken out the guards quietly. Inside the warehouse, there was a room with monitors showing a live feed from security cameras rigged in the main building. "Look," Selina said and pointed to one of the screens. "There he is." Black Mask was pacing down a hall and as he disappeared from one screen, he reappeared on another. He opened a door and walked into the room.

"That's the top floor," Bruce noted. "All right, go and get the rest." Selina went out the back to let them in. One of the guys stayed behind in the surveillance room to notify them if trouble was headed their way or if Black Mask changed his position. That way, at least they had _some_ kind of upper hand and it proved to be very helpful. Whenever someone approached, either from up front or from behind, they were able to take them out before they had the chance to sound the alarm. Much to Joker's dismay, this had to be done without shooting, or they would risk giving themselves away. Still, there was nothing quite like a solid punch to the jaw and he wouldn't let the Dork Knight have all the fun.

"Sorry," he said and wiped the blood off his knuckles, "but you can't take _all_ the fun away from me."

At last they made it to the top floor and gathered outside the door where they had seen Black Mask enter. According to their guy by the monitors, he had not once changed his position and so far he had proved to be a reliable source. Bruce was ready to kick in the door when someone opened it from the inside. Black Mask was sitting in the chair by his desk, fingers interlaced and eyes glowing red. "Oh, don't stand on ceremony," his ghostlike voice spoke through the black skull. "Come on in."

* * *

 **A/N: Another cliffhanger! I am a horrible person, aren't I? Not just for the cliffhanger or the short chapter, but because I kept you waiting for so long. I could have made this chapter longer, but then the wait would have been longer too and I figured: it's New Years eve! You should have something! Especially since I know I told some of you I wanted to post this chapter by Christmas. I am very sorry, but I had this essay I had to write on a book I had read for my literature class in college and then I just wanted to take it easy for a while. Not to mention that my inspiration is lost again, so I hope this chapter isn't too shitty. Hope you can forgive me! I'm guessing there will be two more chapters in this story, so not far to go in other words. Happy New Year everyone! Let's hope 2017 will be a good one! :)**


	16. Your Crazy Matches My Crazy

Despite her terrible condition at that time, Harley was happy she had been able to remember where Black Mask had been keeping her. Of course, back then, she had no idea where that was, but once her memories returned, it was hard to mistake the location for anything but Cape Carmine. Having spent a lot of time with Selina, she was pretty familiar with the East End area. She sat in the middle back seat of the car and tried to keep a steady gaze on the road, but things were blurring and not just because of the speed. Her head was spinning and her hands were shaking. She gripped the revolver tighter than before and took deep breaths. _Don't pass out, Harls. You can do this. You're fine. Everything will soon be fine._ Somehow, those thoughts seemed to do the trick. Leaning forward in between the two front seats, no seat belt holding her back, she told Bill to drive faster and take the right turn up ahead. _Don't worry, Puddin'. I'm comin'._

* * *

To find out that Black Mask had been expecting them was discouraging, but no one seemed very surprised at the revelation. They should have known it wouldn't be that easy. Maybe if they had had more time to come up with a better plan, things would have turned out differently. But deep down, Bruce knew that it wouldn't have mattered.

He, Joker and Selina stepped forward at the invitation and stopped in front of the desk. The rest followed and the door closed behind them. Bruce took notice of Black Mask's men. There was one in every corner of the room, guns in their hands. An Asian woman in glasses walked into the room through another door, carrying a small box. She set it down on the desk without a word. Black Mask stroked her arm in an almost loving caress. "Ah, thank you, my dear," he said and she didn't move a muscle. Then he turned back to the company before him. "Well, well. Isn't this an awkward situation? I don't think I've ever seen a trio as unlikely as yours before in my whole life. Or as stupid, for that matter. Did you really think me that simple minded?" There was a computer screen on the desk which he turned to face them and they saw themselves from different camera angles, walking down the halls of the building. He had been watching them all along and let them walk straight into his clutches.

"You knew we were coming and yet you didn't do a thing to stop us?" Selina asked, incredulous.

"There was no need to make a fuss," Black Mask replied indifferently, as if it held no real importance to him. He turned the box around and placed his hand on the top to open the lid.

"What now?" Joker finally spoke. "You're going to offer us cigars? Make peace?" A low, rumbling chuckle came from the man behind the desk.

"Not quite, but I do believe this is something you might find interesting." When he opened the lid, they all held their breaths for a moment. There were, as promised, no cigars inside, but four vials filled with a yellow liquid of sorts. _The drug._ No one said it, but they all thought it. Were it not for his chalk white skin, the Joker's face would have been bright red by now. A growl was making its way up his throat and it turned into a loud bark. He lunged forward and Black Mask was quick to close the lid again. There were two guns pointed at Joker's head and two more pointed at his men; the only others in the room who carried weapons. It might have been a good opportunity for Bruce and Selina to act, but there was too much at stake to risk it. Black Mask had gotten up from his chair, holding the box high in the air out of Joker's reach. If he turned that box upside down, smashed it to the floor or threw it out the window, all chances of returning Harley to her old self again were lost. But there had to be a reasonable way to get hold of those vials. Perhaps there was something Black Mask was willing to trade the box for? Otherwise, he wouldn't be holding on to it. Otherwise, he might as well have thrown it out the window as soon as he found out they were coming for him. Bruce took a step forward.

"What do you want in return?" Black Mask looked from the box to the man in black cape.

"You can start by putting those guns away," he said and nodded to Joker's gang and they waited for their boss to give his consent. Reluctantly, Joker turned around and told them to hand over their weapons. Jonny thought he had seen the Joker at his most desperate before, but this was simply unbelievable. When all this was over, he was going to ask for vacation. Preferably somewhere warm. Preferably on an island. With close to no people.

When the men were unarmed, Black Mask finally decided to lower the box again. Joker dreaded what else he was going to ask in return. _As long as he doesn't make me beg for it._ The Joker never begged for anything. Still, it was unsettling. Black Mask had the power now and he knew it. Joker didn't like it one bit. For once, he was not the one laughing. "You must really love this woman of yours," Black Mask said. "I never thought you would go this far to get her back." A long time ago, or maybe not that long ago at all, Joker never thought he would either. But that woman, damn her and her stubbornness, had caught his interest. A young doctor, easy on the eye and filled with so much potential. The potential to become so much more than what she'd originally set her mind on. He saw it on the very first day he met her. He didn't really remember that much of it. Only that this woman was not as innocent as she seemed, but still a bit naïve and easy to manipulate. She had proved herself quite useful. He just hadn't expected her to chase after him like some silly dog chasing a car. The Joker was not a person who people attached themselves to and he certainly wasn't a person who attached himself to _others_. He tried telling her that, but she was impossible. She just wouldn't listen. So he gave in and let her come with him. He let her think he was opening up, when, in reality, he was leading her to certain death. He knew he should have let her drown in the acid. If he had, things would have been so much simpler. Things also would have been so much… _emptier_. It was like she filled a void he never knew had even existed and when she wasn't there, that void only grew bigger and bigger. The truth was, he _had_ opened up, albeit against his own will. But that was why he loved her. Because she was cruel like that.

Joker bared his teeth in a wide smile. "Well… Here I am." Black Mask nodded.

"So you are." Five seconds of silence felt like an eternity in that room. The tension hung in the air like thunder waiting to be heard after a flash of lightning. And the lightning came, followed by a loud roar of thunder. "I just wanted to make sure." Black Mask heaved the box into the air again and tossed it through the window behind him. The glass shattered and fell with the box. Cold night air swept into the room through the gaping, uneven hole in the window. Bruce forgot how to breathe for a moment. Black Mask had only been toying with them and he was enjoying every moment of his sweet revenge. Joker stared unblinkingly through the hole. Bruce didn't think he was breathing either. It was the unsuspecting silence before the next lightning bolt. Joker leaped over the desk and flung himself on Black Mask, tackling him down to the floor.

"I'LL KILL YOU!" They rolled around on the floor, much like two kids in a fist fight, making it hard for Black Mask's men to take the right aim. They risked hitting their boss. Bruce took his chance and intervened.

"No, you _won't!_ " he said and dragged Joker away from his prey.

"That's right!" a familiar voice agreed from the doorway. Everyone's eyes turned and widened. Harley stepped into the room, gun held firmly in both hands, pointed at Black Mask's head. " _I_ will."

* * *

 **A/N: Hello again! It's been a couple of weeks and I know you guys have been waiting for an update. Well, here it is! (I know it's another shortie, but there is only one more chapter to go and I don't think that one will be much longer either, so I had to save some for that.) I just want to thank you all for your patience and your support! The fact that you believe in me even when I lose my inspiration is really uplifting! I will be going back to college next week and I honestly have no idea how much workload I'll be getting, so to be on the safe side, I will do my best to finish this story before the week is over. Now, how does that sound? ;)**


	17. There's No Place Like Home

Harley fought to keep her aim steady as she felt her whole body trembling. At least she wasn't wearing any high heels, which helped her stand upright. Bruce, standing in between her paramour and their mutual enemy, was relieved to find Harley in one piece. He could tell that Joker was sharing that relief. His Harley was back, but she was still unwell. Black Mask, back on his feet again, stared right at her without a word. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. Didn't think it possible. Apparently, she was stronger than he thought. Her eyes were narrowed and her nostrils flared as she breathed in and out like a bull seeing red. And they were all about to see red if nobody stopped her.

Harley wanted nothing more than to throw herself into Joker's arms, but first she had to deal with the vermin which had plagued her. Bright red eyes were staring right back into hers. Holding her arms up for so long made them start shaking and her body swayed lightly. Black Mask gave a derisive laugh at the sight and thought just how pitiful it was. She would helplessly fall to the floor any minute now. He could tell from the bead of sweat trickling down her forehead and her heavy breathing. "How are you feeling?" he asked her, as unconcerned as one could be.

"I'll be fine as soon as you're dead," she spat. He laughed again.

"So why haven't you pulled the trigger yet?" Harley smirked.

"Don't worry, I will. But first I want to know why you did this to me. _Why?_ " _Why did you do this to him?_

"Simple. Revenge. I wanted him to _suffer_." He glanced at Joker, who was surprisingly keeping himself in check. "And everyone knows the only way to do that is to hurt _you_." He turned back to Harley.

"Then why didn't you just kill me?" she questioned, earning an amused chuckle in response.

"Because I knew it wouldn't hurt _nearly_ as much." Her eyebrows knitted together in confusion and so did many of the others'. What could be worse? What could cause Joker more pain than killing Harley? Black Mask went on to explain. "If I had killed you, sooner or later, he would just have forgotten about you. If you don't exist, then neither does the pain. Not forever, at least. But by erasing your memory, I made sure to give him a constant reminder that he could never have you back. I made sure that _you_ became the source to his endless suffering." Harley gave a derisive laugh of her own.

"Well, looks like you failed. I remember now."

"Did I?" He let the question hang in the air. "Did I fail? I'm not the one who's sweating profusely, about to topple over any second. You're in pain and believe me, soon you'll be _begging_ for death." The conversation had already gone on for far too long and Harley grudgingly had to accept that Black Mask was right. Black dots started to cloud her vision and she swayed on the spot. Seeing the burning rage in her eyes, Bruce knew what she was about to do and though he yelled at her not to, it was too late. As soon as she pulled the trigger, she fainted and hit the floor hard. Black Mask screamed when the bullet brushed his left shoulder. Clutching the wound with his right hand, he fell to his knees. Thanks to her poor aim, he was still alive, but his flesh was burning.

Joker watched Harley fall to the floor and didn't even spare his enemy one glance as he dropped to his knees, but took great pleasure in hearing his agonized scream. He knelt down next to Harley and brought her head up into his lap. "Wake up, Princess," he murmured and patted her face. Black Mask, still clutching his wound, was disappointed to hear no gunshots.

"What are you waiting for?" he asked his men through gritted teeth. " _Kill them!_ " Everyone in the room had been more or less paralyzed watching the scene unfold in front of their eyes. Just as they raised their guns, they could hear rushing steps coming from the hallway outside. Steps that were coming closer and closer and a voice called out when they reached the room.

" _GCPD! Nobody move!_ " It was Commissioner Gordon, followed by an armed squad of eight police officers in bulletproof vests. " _Drop your weapons!_ " Gordon commanded and, without a second thought, they did, putting their hands up as the guns clattered loudly against the floor. Everyone else in the room, including Selina, put their hands up. All except Bruce, Joker, Black Mask and, of course, Harley, who was unable to do anything due to unconsciousness. Gordon's eyes scanned the room back and forth. He had witnessed a lot of strange things throughout his career, but this was very close to topping the list. It seemed his colleagues were sharing those thoughts. They focused on aiming their guns at Joker's and Black Mask's men. Gordon himself was torn between the two big baddies in the room. Joker or Black Mask? He settled on aiming at Joker, seeing as Black Mask was in too much pain to defend himself, plus he had the Batman right by his side to stop him, should he try anything. Gordon looked to the caped crusader and gave him a nod to show his gratitude. "Thank you for calling us." Bruce returned the nod.

"Thank you for showing up." Both Joker and Selina looked between the two men.

"You called the _cops?_ " Joker shouted, but didn't get up from the floor. Bruce did not answer to that. He didn't even look at the Joker, whose fuse was running short. The cops could never understand what was going on and they would only make things worse. That, he was certain of. Without realizing it, he clutched Harley tighter, afraid they would take her from him once again. Bruce saw the subtle movement from the corner of his eye and knew what his adversary must be thinking. He pulled Black Mask to his feet, who protested with an audible groan as he felt the searing pain in his shoulder increase.

"Here," he said and pushed him over to Gordon. The police commissioner cuffed Black Mask's hands behind his back.

"You have the right to remain silent," he said. Black Mask only growled in response, looking down at Joker. Gordon then took notice of Selina, still holding her hands in the air. "Ms. Kyle, I think it's safe for you to drop those now," he said, knowing she had no part in the crime. Selina gave him a small smile and stepped over to where Harley and Joker was. Gordon turned to his patrol. "All right. Arrest them."

Joker watched as his gang was taken into custody. The Bat did nothing to stop it. Then again, what was really the point? Harley's salvation had literally flown out the window along with all hope. It didn't matter what happened to them now. Things would never be the same again. He exchanged one last look with Jonny before he was led out the room. There was a hint of sadness in his eyes. Gordon handed Black Mask over to one of the officers. "Enjoy your stay at Blackgate." The red eyes beneath the mask narrowed into slits, the killing glare directed at the Joker. No words were exchanged as the police officer escorted him outside.

Now the only ones remaining were Gordon, Selina, Bruce, the two clowns and Black Mask's secretary, Ms. Li. It was quiet for a moment before Gordon spoke again. "I'm not expecting anyone to come willingly, but I'd rather not do this the hard way." He looked down at Joker, so unlike himself. So quiet and so still. In a way, it was even more unsettling than when he wasn't.

"I'll take them," Bruce said, receiving a puzzled look both from Gordon and the Joker. "I'll take them to Arkham. You go." Gordon looked down with a small smile and shook his head.

"Why do I get the feeling you're going to do anything _but_ that?" He wasn't all that wrong.

"I'm taking them to Arkham," Bruce said, a bit more firmly to convince his friend. He _was_ going to take them to Arkham, but what would happen _after_ that, Jim didn't have to know. Finally, he gave in with a sigh.

"Fine. I trust you." He looked over at the dark haired woman behind the desk. "What about her?" For the first time, Ms. Li actually spoke. She stepped up from behind the desk.

"I confess that I'm guilty and give myself up willingly. But first…" She reached inside her jacket and picked out a small glass vial. She gave it to Bruce. "I thought you might want this." Bruce held the vial of yellow liquid in his gloved hand, not quite believing what he was seeing. His fingers closed around it protectively and then gave the woman a small smile. "No need to thank me," she said before he had the chance to speak. "I just wanted to do the right thing, for once." Then she joined Gordon again and with one last glance, they left the rest behind.

"Is that…?" Joker asked and looked at the Bat's closed fist. Could it really be? Bruce nodded.

"I believe it is." Selina smiled broadly, happy to know that there was a chance for her friend to be well again. Joker was too overwhelmed to even smile. All he did was bring Harley's body closer to his. He breathed in the scent of her hair and at the touch of his hand on her face, her eyes fluttered open. He held his breath as her clear blue irises met his.

"Puddin'?" Her voice was small, but it was there. _She_ was there and everything would be fine.

"That's right, Pumpkin." His smile made her heart soar. How she had missed that smile. She was back in his arms again. Just the way it should be. She cupped his face with one hand, but didn't have the strength to keep it there for long. It fell limply back down to her side and his brow creased in worry. Harley craned her neck and saw Selina looking down from above.

"Hey Cat," she said, still with a weak voice and smile. "Where'd ya go at the party?" Selina blinked back the tears and smiled at her friend's attempt at being funny.

"I was going to ask you the same thing." Bruce cleared his throat and Harley's eyes drifted to him instead.

"Sorry to interrupt the moment, but I'm afraid we have to leave now." It wasn't until then that Harley noticed just how empty the room was.

"Hey, where did everybody go?" she asked and then gasped when she remembered shooting Black Mask. "Did I kill him? _Please_ say I did." Joker chuckled.

"Unfortunately… no, but you hit him in the shoulder. Daddy's so proud of you," he growled, making her blush under his intense gaze. Oh, the things she wanted him to do to her. Bruce, slightly embarrassed at the scene, cleared his throat again, louder this time.

"Come on. I'm taking you to Arkham." Joker still held Harley in his embrace as they both got up.

"Are you out of your mind? I'm not about to be locked up again in that nuthouse and neither. Is. _Harley_." Bruce took a deep breath and tried to settle this once and for all.

"She's going to get worse if she doesn't get the right treatment. Should she have another seizure, Arkham is the best place for her to be. They can take care of her while I work on the antidote." Joker snorted and shook his head at the Bat.

"Arkham is not a place where you're 'taken care of.' She's not going and _I'm_ not going. _End of story._ " Bruce knew better than to argue. Arkham was far from hospitable.

"She could stay with me," Selina suggested and sought Bruce's gaze. "I'm sure you can supply me with everything she needs and I'm sure Ivy could too. I've seen what her plants can do." Harley concurred.

"Yeah. Ivy could help." As much as Joker hated the weed, he had to admit that it wasn't a bad idea. Anything to make Harley better. It seemed as if the Bat didn't have it in him to object, either.

"Okay. I'll be in touch."

* * *

 _THREE DAYS LATER_

Taking care of Harley proved to be a piece of cake. While her condition worsened, with Ivy's magical plant skills, nothing serious ever happened. Ivy, who had been unbeknownst to the whole ordeal, was happy to find that her bestie was, after all, all right. But in her opinion, Harley should never have been susceptible to the drug in the first place due to the serum she gave her, making her immune to most toxins. "I guess this was one of those unfortunate exceptions," she mused bitterly.

Selina finally got the anticipated call from the Bat and he came over to her apartment late at night to deliver the antidote. It pleased him to hear that they'd experienced no troubles during the last three days. With a frown, Harley reluctantly rolled up her left sleeve to let him give her the shot. "I hate shots, I hate shots, I hate shots," she repeated with her eyes shut tight. Thankfully, the pain subsided rather quickly.

"That should do the trick," Bruce said. "It might take some time for the effect to kick in, so I suggest you keep taking it easy for a while." Then he got up and headed for the door. Harley shot up from her seat on the couch.

"Wait!" He turned, his cape flapping around him. "That's it? You're leaving?"

"Yes," he answered simply.

"So… you're not going to turn us in?" Ever since Harley got her memories back, she had expected him to do just that and the fact that he hadn't done it yet, despite his many opportunities, was slightly unsettling. This was not the Bat she was used to and though she should have felt relieved and happy, she couldn't deny that she, despite everything, enjoyed playing their game of cat and mouse.

"No." He shook his head. "Not today, at least." Then Harley saw him do something she had never seen before. He _smirked_.

* * *

The house had become alarmingly empty since so many of his men, including Jonny, had been arrested. It wasn't fair. They hadn't even killed anyone, but now Joker wished he had. His bloodthirst was almost unbearable. It took all of his willpower not to take out one of the few men left in the house right then and there. To keep himself from spilling any unnecessary blood, he had taken to stay in the bedroom, but should anyone have the gall to disturb him, he would gladly end their life before they could even beg for it. So late at night when the door swung open, he felt like a child at Christmas laying there on the bed, thrilled to know he would finally get to enjoy himself by cutting someone's tongue off. He just hadn't expected that someone to be Harley.

For a long while they stared at each other in silence. Him on the bed. Her by the door. Then she threw herself on top of him, knocking the air out of his lungs. "Woah! Easy, tiger!" he said and grabbed her by the hips to keep her still. Her own hands trailed down his bare chest, tracing the tattoos she adored so much. The very same tattoos she had repulsed only a few days ago. But not anymore. Nothing about him could ever be repulsive. In her eyes, he was beautiful. Everything she could ever want. She relaxed and lay down her head on his chest, hearing and feeling his heartbeat in her ear. It was the most beautiful sound she knew.

"I'm home," she whispered and closed her eyes as he wrapped his arms protectively around her.

"And you'll never leave again."

* * *

 **A/N: Wow. It's been a helluva ride, but now it's finished. And what do you know, this chapter acutally turned out to be one of the longest in the bunch! (And I said I thought it would be short. Oops!)**

 **I want to thank all readers from the bottom of my heart! The fact that so many of you enjoy this story gives me faith in myself and you're all so sweet and encouraging in your reviews! What more can an author ask for? I love you all and I hope you enjoyed this story!**

 **Sincerely,**

 **\- QuinnOfConeyIsland**


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